Rahul Gandhi’s panauti jibe at Modi ‘below the belt’, says Amit Shah

BJP leader says he is confident that voters of Telangana would give a befitting reply to such remarks through voting, which is scheduled to be held on November 30

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah addresses a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday. | Photo Credit: G. RAMAKRISHNA

Describing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s panauti comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “below the belt”, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah on Saturday said people will give a befitting reply to such remarks in the upcoming Telangana Assembly election.

“Whenever below the belt language was used about the Prime Minister, people have given a befitting reply in whichever State in the country. I am confident that voters of Telangana would give a fitting reply through voting on this language which is below the belt,” Mr. Shah said.

Telangana goes to the polls on November 30 and the results will be declared on December 3.

He was replying to a query posed at a press meet here on the panauti remark made during campaigning for the Rajasthan Assembly election. A Hindi slang, panauti loosely refers to someone who brings bad luck.

Mr. Gandhi had used the barb against the Prime Minister during his election speech in Rajasthan after Mr. Modi had attended the cricket World Cup final that India lost to Australia after 10 consecutive wins in the tournament.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had recently termed Mr. Gandhi’s remarks as “despicably poor”. She alleged that he is continuing the Congress tradition of using abusive names to call the Prime Minister.