New Delhi: In a potentially self-damaging act ahead of the Gujarat polls, the Congress’ youth wing on Tuesday circulated a meme about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘chaiwala’ past, provoking a backlash from the BJP, and prompting a red-faced Congress to distance from it.
The meme that unleashed a political firestorm contained photograph of Modi, US president Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May engaged in a conversation.
Modi is seen telling the two leaders about the opposition’s memes targeting him. He mispronounces the word as “mainmain”. Trump corrects him, saying the word is pronounced as “meem”, while May tells him to go and sell tea.
Though the meme was removed soon after it was put out, the Congress faced a virtual fusillade from the BJP which excoriated the opposition party for targeting the prime minister over his humble background, and demanding an explanation whether the meme had the approval of the party leadership.
“This blatantly classist and anti-poor Tweet by the Youth Congress shows their mindset towards India’s poor. Does Crown Prince @OfficeOfRG support this?,” Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said in a tweet.
Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, J P Nadda and Piyush Goyal also hit out at the Congress over the post. The official Twitter handle of BJP chief Amit Shah retweeted all such posts put out by the ministers.
“The arrogance of the Congress Party and shameful anti-poor stand gets exposed from the official twitter of the Youth Congress that a person born in poverty in the family of a tea vendor cannot become the Prime Minister. No lessons learnt. Insulting popular mandate.
“Madam Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi do you still believe that only you have a divine right to rule India?” Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a series of tweets.
He said the country expects the two leaders to respond to the meme which is “shameful and insulting” to poor, he said.
Moving in to contain the damage, Congress communications incharge Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter, saying “Congress strongly disapproves and rejects such humour through memes. Differences on policy and opinion aside, Congress culture imbibes respect for PM and all political opponents.”
Chastised, the Indian Youth Congress, apologised for the meme.
“Although the handle @Yuvadesh is being run by youth volunteers and not by @iyc, we do not approve of such humour and apologise.
“Despite political differences with the BJP & having suffered everyday abuse from their leaders, we respect the Prime Minister & all political opponents,” Youth Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja tweeted.
