Cong slams PM Modi's 'secularism' jibe in Dublin, brands him an 'NRI PM'

The Congress Party on Wednesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'secularism' jibe in Dublin and branded him as an 'NRI PM' who has visited almost a dozen countries in a short span of time.

"We thank God that the Prime Minister acknowledged Sanskrit language in Ireland. We all know what the PM's track record is on secularism. We also know what his government has done in 16 months and all the PM can talk about is secularism," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

"We have an NRI PM for the first time who has visited dozens of countries so soon, but other than personal publicity what have the Indian people and farmers benefitted from his visits," he told ANI here.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi echoing similar sentiments said Prime Minister Modi makes it a point of criticizing India and its leaders whenever he travels abroad.

"Clearly, he is trying to change the very definition of patriotism and making fun of the term secularism," he said.

Prime Minister Modi, who was welcomed in Dublin by the voices of Irish children reciting Sanskrit shlokas, took a jibe at the opposition parties back home saying that if this was done in India then it would have raised questions about 'secularism'.