Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come under attack from two Congress lawmakers after MP Shashi Tharoor and Maharashtra MLA used derogatory jibes to target the former.
Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, Tharoor said, “The personality cult has not sat very well with many in the RSS establishment. There is an extraordinary striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to journalist Vinod Jose of Caravan (news magazine)in which they express their frustration with their inability to curb Mr Modi. The (RSS) man says, ‘Mr Modi is like scorpion sitting on a shivling. You can’t remove it from your hand and you cannot hit it with chappals.’ And if you think about it, that’s a very very profound understanding of the relationship.”
#WATCH Shashi Tharoor in Bengaluru, says, “There’s an extraordinarily striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to a journalist, that, “Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivling, you can’t remove him with your hand & you cannot hit it with a chappal either.”(27.10) pic.twitter.com/E6At7WrCG5
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2018
Elsewhere, news agency ANI quoted a Congress MLA from Solapur in Maharashtra, Praniti Shinde, calling Modi a new dengue mosquito. Quoting her statement made on 24 October, the news agency reported, “There is a new dengue mosquito in our country, its name is ‘Modi baba’. Sabko beemari ho rahi hai uski wajah se. Isko jhooth bolne ki beemari lagi hai…bhaiyon mein mehengayi kum karunga, aapke khaate mein Rs 15 lakh jama karunga.”
There is a new dengue mosquito in our country, its name is 'Modi baba'. Sabko beemari ho rahi hai uski wajah se. Isko jhooth bolne ki beemari lagi hai…bhaiyon mein mehengayi kum karunga, aapke khaate mein Rs 15 lakh jama karunga: Praniti Shinde, Congress MLA in Solapur (24.10) pic.twitter.com/qLnFRwbS99
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2018
Reacting to Tharoor’s statement, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi. He said, “While Rahul Gandhi, who claims himself to be a Shiv bhakt, one of his small leaders has almost abused the sanctity of Shiv Linga and Lord Mahadev by referring to chappal attack through unnamed sources.
“Rahul Gandhi you claim yourself be to a Shiv Bhakt please reply to this very horrific denunciation of Lord Mahadev by giving apology to what Tharoor has done.”
Shashi Tharoor who is accused in a murder case has attempted to disrespect Lord Shiva.
I seek a reply from Rahul Gandhi who claims himself to be a Bhakt of Lord Shiva on this horrific denunciation of Hindu gods by a Congress MP.
Rahul Gandhi must apologize to all Hindus. pic.twitter.com/QeShJoCHDZ
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) October 28, 2018
Reacting to the BJP’s criticism, Tharoor said that his comments were taken out of context. He tweeted, “In view of the unseemly demonisation of an out of context remark today involving a scorpion metaphor, my book #TheParadoxicalPrimeMinister cites & footnotes this article — please see the last paragraph of this article.”
Tharoor also responded to Prasad’s tweet and wrote, “And while you’re about it, could you explain where the alleged insult lies? I worship a Shivling at home & carry a miniature Shivling in my pocket daily. Insulting Lord Shiva is unthinkable for me. But exploiting him for petty politics is apparently OK for you.”
