Congress deletes 'angoota chaap' tweet on PM Narendra Modi

Bengaluru: Ahead of by-polls in the State, the war of words between the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress, touched a new low, as the latter described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an 'angoota chaap' or hebbatu giraki in Kannada, a euphemism for an illiterate person. On Tuesday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, D K Shivakumar, expressed his regrets and announced the withdrawal of the tweet by the KPCC IT Ccell. He described the expression as uncivilised and unparliamentary.

On Monday, the KPCC IT Cell had referred to Modi on its official twitter handle as 'hebbatu giraki'.

He expressed regret about the derogatory way in which the tweet about the PM was worded. In a tweet, Shivakumar said, "I have always believed that civil and parliamentary language is a non-negotiable prerequisite for political discourse. An uncivil tweet made by a novice social media manager through the KPCC official twitter handle is regretted and stands withdrawn."

In another tweet, he stated, "Yesterday I said I believe we should be civil and respectful in politics, even to our opponents. I hope the BJP agrees with me and will apologise for their State president's abusive and unparliamentary remarks against Shri Rahul Gandhi."

In a media statement, Shivakumar said, "Instructions to immediately withdraw the tweet have been issued and stern action has been taken against those responsible for this lapse. The Congress does not tolerate such blunders."

The impugned tweet had said that Modi could not utter a word without the help of the teleprompter and that in foreign affairs, he could do nothing without a translator. "The man who left education and sought alms does not know anything about finances. A liking for dresses, free campaign, and false speeches are his assets," it said. It also wanted to know how much kickback Modi received in Adani port drugs case, and how much did the Karnataka BJP leaders get in bus driver Umesh's robbery. It said that with the increase of government revenue, poverty is rising in India.

The tweet said that Modi did not study even though the Congress built schools. It said that there were schemes for adult literacy but Modi chose not to study. The country is suffering because of Modi who is addicted to a lazy life by seeking alms, has turned Indians into beggars. It also said that if the Congress was in power, petro would have cost Rs 66 and diesel, Rs 55.