I.N.D.I.A hits back after PM Modi's jibe at Opposition

Modi slammed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) as the 'most directionless' alliance.

The Opposition I.N.D.I.A on Tuesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks against the coalition, with Congress saying "call us whatever you want", but "we are INDIA" and Trinamool Congress claiming that the ruling BJP is "completely rattled".

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "call us whatever you want, Mr Modi. We are INDIA. We will help heal Manipur and wipe the tears of every woman and child. We will bring back love and peace for all her people. We will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said while "we are talking about Manipur, which is burning", the prime minister is "talking about East India (Company) and saying I.N.D.I.A means East India (Company)".

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien said the BJP is "completely rattled and it has no good answer" and that it may be the first time after 2014 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah do not have an answer.

"They hate the word 'India' now. But there is 'India' in the government of India, Prime Minister of India also. Prime Minister Modi, who gave words like Start Up India, Digital India, Make In India, Khelo India, has started hating India today," AAP MP Raghav Chadha told reporters.

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The sharp retort came after Modi attacked I.N.D.I.A as the "most directionless" the country has ever seen and referred to the East India Company and the Indian Mujahideen to say that people cannot be misled merely by the use of the country's name.

Kharge also said, "the slaves of the British were the political ancestors of the BJP. Prime Minister Modi, stop diverting the country's attention with your rhetoric. Modi-ji, speaking about Manipur in Parliament does not belittle the dignity of the Prime Minister's post by calling INDIA, that is Bharat, good or bad."

Asking why Modi is rattled by the name of their alliance if he thinks there is nothing in a name, he said it only meant that the BJP is getting "rattled and scared" after the successful Opposition meetings in Patna and Bengaluru.

"They are aligned with the ideology that helped the East India Company and the British. They did not participate in the Quit India movement and the freedom movement. And the people of the ideology that killed (Mahatma) Gandhiji are telling us that we are directionless. We are not directionless, we show the way. Prime Minister Modi has become directionless," he said.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) Jairam Ramesh claimed that the prime minister is "very rattled" by the 26-party I.N.D.I.A bloc and "not only is he trying to give new life to the almost-dead NDA but has also given it a new meaning through his vile abuses this morning -- the National Defamation Alliance. When he is cornered, this is what Modi does all the time -- deny, divert, distort, deflect and defame".

Congress Media Department Chairperson Pawan Khera tweeted, "Modi-ji, you have become so blind in opposing the Congress that you have started hating India itself. I heard that today in frustration you attacked India itself."