Babbar compares rupee's falling value with age of Modi's mother, BJP demands apology from Congress
Indore, Nov 23: Congress leader Raj Babbar's remark comparing the rupee's falling value against the US dollar with the age of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother kicked up a controversy on Friday, with the BJP demanding an apology from the opposition party's president Rahul Gandhi.
Babbar made the controversial remark while addressing a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh's Indore city on Thursday. Madhya Pradesh goes to polls on November 28 and results will be declared on December 11.
"(Before becoming the prime minister) Modi used to say that compared to the (US) dollar, the value of the rupee has fallen to a level where it is almost the same as the age of the then Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh)," Babbar, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, said.
"Mr Prime Minister, at that time, you had not taken his (Manmohan Singh) name out of respect. Although our tradition does not allow this, we wish to say that now the value of the rupee has fallen to the age of your respected mother," he added.
Modi's mother, Hiraba, is a nonagenarian.
The rupee has seen a continued fall against the US dollar this year, hovering a little over the 70-mark on Friday.
The BJP condemned Babbar's remark.
The party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra said it was not proper to use unparliamentary words or drag any person's mother into politics.
"But the Congress' attitude against the Prime Minister's mother has been improper from the beginning and such language was used even against the Prime Minister," Patra claimed.
"Rahul Gandhi should apologise and he should clarify whether he endorses such controversial statements," he said.
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Congress’ Umesh Meti wins Bagalkot bypoll
Bagalkot: The Congress has secured a victory in the Bagalkot Assembly by-election, with its candidate Umesh Meti winning the seat after maintaining a lead from the first round of counting till the end.
The seat had fallen vacant following the death of sitting MLA H Y Meti. Umesh Meti, his son, has now been elected to the Assembly.
Party leaders attributed the victory to a combination of factors, including sympathy votes, the state government’s schemes, and campaign strategies led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior leader Satish Jarkiholi.
The Congress maintained a consistent lead throughout the counting process, eventually securing a decisive win in the constituency.
