Jitendra Singh hits back at Congress over 'unsavory terms' for PM

Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the more Congress leaders refer to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in unsavory terms, the more he becomes dear to people of India.

"The more the Congress leaders refer to the Prime Minister in unsavory terms the more he becomes dear to people of India. The more they speak such things the easier things become for us in Gujarat. They must introspect if their comments can be deemed acceptable," he told ANI.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had, earlier, taken a dig at Prime Minister Modi following the release of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, saying that the former's 'Hugplomacy' with US President Donald Trump failed.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday launched a veiled attack at Rahul Gandhi saying those "slinging mud on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will help the lotus bloom even more," referring to their party symbol - the lotus.

Alluding to Rahul, the Prime Minister had said a large number of people had tried to malign the image of the state.

"I am grateful for all the kichad (muck) being thrown at me. After all, a 'lotus' blooms only in kichad. So, I don't mind if more is thrown at me. Those slinging mud on us will help the 'lotus' bloom even more," he said, while addressing a rally in Bhuj of Gujarat's Kutch district.