Wrong to think 'Modi is India and India is Modi': Congress slams BJP's criticism of Rahul Gandhi

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera claimed that Gandhi's 'Narender...surrender' remarks encapsulated how the prime minister has time and again "surrendered India's national interests, in situations, where it was required to show the requisite deft and 'vishwaguru' status.

New Delhi: Doubling down on Rahul Gandhi's 'Narendra-Surrender' jibe, Congress on Wednesday targeted the Prime Minister claiming that his "name is Narender (but) work is surrender" while saying it is wrong to think that "Narendra Modi is India and India is Narendra Modi".

Congress' remarks came as the BJP pounded an attack on Rahul for his remarks on Modi in Bhopal. The BJP accused Rahul of "insulting" the armed forces with his "surrender" jibe at Modi, alleging that it amounted to undermining the success of Operation Sindoor and favouring Pakistan that even the neighbouring country has not made.

Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera said the party has pride in the victorious stride of the Indian military but were concerned about "surrender" by Modi under pressure from the United States to agree to a ceasefire with Pakistan at a time the country had been in advantageous position.

"When the brave Indian Army had Pakistan on its knees, Trump called and Narendra Modi surrendered. Trump said many times that we got the ceasefire done by threatening with trade, but Narendra Modi has not replied to Trump till date. He will not even answer, because name is Narender, work is surrender -- this is the reality and truth," Khera told a press conference.

He said they have been asking for the past one month why this deal was made with the self-respect of the country and what were the conditions. He said they have also been asking where are terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Azhar Masood but for the last one month, people have been hearing only "cheap" dialogues.

"We ask the Prem Chopra of rallies, why doesn't he give a reply to Donald Trump. If you don't have the guts to answer him why don't you answer us, those who ask questions are labelled as speaking in the language of Pakistan," he said.

Khera emphasised that the Opposition was asking questions that are in the minds of crores of people of the country. "Narendra Modi can be the PM but the country is not the prime minister. One can be the PM, the servant of the country, but India is known by different names like 'Jambudweep', Hindustan, Bharat, India, and not Narendra Modi, nor can it ever be known by that name," he said.

"Those who state that talking of Narendra Modi's surrender is like talking of surrender of India should open their ears and listen that this country belongs to 140 crore people and it belongs to everyone as much as it does to Narendra Modi. So do not think that Narendra Modi is India and India is Narendra Modi. It is wrong to think so. Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country, but he is not the country," he said.

He claimed that the BJP people were making a film for their hero for the last 11 years -- 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar' -- but when the film was finished, it turned out to be 'Narender Ka Surrender'. "Actually, there is no injection for bravery, but it is in-built in the character of a person. The history of BJP-RSS people has been of cowardice," he alleged.

He said the 11 years of tenure of Modi has been a story of surrender. "They used to say that they will bring back black money, eliminate unemployment, double the income of farmers and show red eyes to China - but they surrendered,” he added.