Narendra Modi's raincoat barb an insult to nation: Rahul Gandhi

Modi has a penchant for grabbing headlines, says Rahul

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "bathing with raincoat" jibe, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi said the remarks directed at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were an insult to the whole nation.

Addressing a rally here in the poll-bound state, Gandhi said Modi has a penchant for grabbing headlines and indulged in "laughter shows" inside and outside Parliament.

"Our Prime Minister Modi has this weakness of grabbing headlines. The day he isn't in the news, he doesn't get proper sleep. To get into headlines, be it inside Parliament or outside, he creates this laughter show of sorts," said Gandhi.

Modi on Wednesday said Manmohan Singh knew the "art of bathing wearing a raincoat", creating an uproar in Parliament with protests continuing on Thursday. Taking strong umbrage the Congress has demanded an apology from the Prime Minister.

"Modi is the first Prime Minister who can't speak with respect to his predecessors.

"Manmohan Singh worked as the Prime Minister for a decade. Modi's remarks are not a personal insult rather an insult to the entire nation because it was the people of this country who elected Manmohan Singh as their Prime Minister," said Gandhi.

The Congress leader also flayed Modi over demonetisation.

"Ninety-four percent of the black money is in real estate, bullion and in foreign banks. Modi, instead chose to attack cash. The cash attacked is not of the rich corporates and business houses, but of the masses, farmers, daily wagers.

"In the name of fighting corruption he put the people in bank queues," added Gandhi.