All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday lashed out at US President Donald Trump for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "father of India".
Terming Trump as a 'jahil' (illiterate), Owaisi said the US President was ignorant of the history of the country.
"Trump called Modi the Father of the Nation. He is 'jahil', he is ignorant and he does not know anything about Mahatma Gandhi. He has zero knowledge of India's great past. One should understand Modi cannot be the father of the nation because you cannot compare Gandhi and Modi. Gandhi made numerous sacrifices for this nation, he earned it," Owaisi told reporters here.
Owaisi, however, said he agreed with Trump when he compared Modi to legendary American performer Elvis Presley.
" However, I agree with Trump on the point that Modi is like Elvis Presley. As Elvis used to mesmerize people with his songs, Modi also does that when he delivers speeches. I do not want to demean my Prime Minister by saying that he is like Elvis Presley," he said.
Owaisi expressed disappointment on India being clubbed with Pakistan by Trump. "India is such a great nation but it is Prime Minister Modi's failure that India has been hyphenated with Pakistan. Trump has said twice now that he is ready to mediate between India and Pakistan," he said.
The AIMIM leader alleged that Trump was playing a double game.
"Trump is playing a double game as he praises both Imran Khan and Narendra Modi. He restricts India from buying oil from Iran which translates to an additional burden of Rs 15,000 crore on India," Owaisi said.
Taking a jibe at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP leader Hemanta Biswa Sharma for their stand on no Hindu illegal migrant would be removed from the country, Owaisi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should "bring back with him five lakh Indians who are illegally settled in US."
"BJP leader Hemanta Biswa Sharma and RSS say that no illegal migrant who is a Hindu would be removed from the country. I say to them that there are 5 lakh Indians who are illegally settled in the US and Prime Minister Modi should bring them back to India," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )