Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday demanded an apology from Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay over his "Hitler" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to take action against him.
Sahay on Monday sought to compare PM Modi with Hitler and said "he will die like Hitler" if he takes to tactics of the German dictator.
Sahay said BJP had "pulled down" two-three Congress-ruled state governments and alleged that the Prime Minister was behaving "like a dictator".
"I think he has surpassed Hitler's history. Modi will die Hitler's death if he follows his path," Sahay, a former union minister, said.
However, Congress distanced itself from Sahay's remarks made at the party's 'satyagraha' protest against ED questioning of Rahul Gandhi and Agnipath scheme in Delhi, stating "we do not agree with any indecent remarks against the Prime Minister".
"Seeing PM Modi's increasing popularity and his work for the welfare of the poor, the Congress leader has given such a statement in anger and panic. With what mentality do Congress leaders make such statements. They have made such statements repeatedly," Thakur told mediapersons here.
The Union Minister said that Sahay should apologize to the nation because 130 crore people of the country gave PM Modi a full majority to form a government.
"I wish to ask the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) and senior Congress leaders what action is being taken against this leader. They should apologise to the nation and they should apologise to the Prime Minister," he asked.
He further said that the voters will punish Congress as they did in Gujarat and elsewhere in the country if Congress continued to make such remarks against the Prime Minister but strict action should be taken against such a leader.
"The remarks made by the Congress leader on respected Prime Minister Modi ji shows his petty thinking, the fury and irritability arising out of the state-to-state slipping base," the Union Minister said in a tweet.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh distanced the party from Sahay's remarks even as he accused the Modi government of following "dictatorial ideology".
"The Congress party will continue to fight against the dictatorial ideology and anti-people policies of the Modi government. But we do not agree with any indecent remarks against the Prime Minister. Our struggle will continue on Gandhian principles and way," Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.
Sahay defended his remarks and said he had repeated a slogan in his remarks."Ask Narendra Modi, he too must have raised this slogan. It's a slogan- jo Hitler ki chaal chalega, wo Hitler ki maut marega. Ask him what path is he taking. We have been raising this slogan earlier too," he said.
He said he was not aware of the comments of Jairam Ramesh.
Congress has urged the government to withdraw the Agnipath scheme, hold wide consultations, and address issues of quality, efficiency and economy, without compromising on the welfare of the armed forces.
( With inputs from ANI )
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