Modi takes a dig at Manmohan on corruption, sparks Congress outrage

new delhi — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knew the “art of bathing wearing a rain coat”, creating a huge uproar in the Congress benches in Rajya Sabha.

The Congress reacted sharply to the comment and staged a walkout from the House.

Modi made the comment while responding to the debate on the

There is a lot for us politicians to learn... so much happened he did not get even a taint. Only Doctor Sahab (Manmohan Singh) knows the art of bathing wearing a rain coat Narendra Modi, Indian PM

motion of thanks to the President’s address.

Modi said that Manmohan Singh was an economist who has been at the helm of affairs for around 3035 years.

“For the last 30-35 years, he has been directly involved with India’s economic affairs in a decisive capacity... There might not be another person, in 70 years post Independence, he has been at the helm of affairs for half of the time,” Modi said.

“There is a lot for us politicians to learn... so much happened he did not get even a taint. Only Doctor Sahab (Manmohan Singh) knows the art of bathing wearing a rain coat,” he said in a jibe, resulting in a huge uproar from Congress benches. The Congress demanded an apology for it. The party said the remark was in extremely poor taste. Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the opposition party will not allow Modi to speak in Parliament unless he apologised.

“Modi chooses to speak when everyone else is done with and then makes unsubstantiated allegations. We cannot tolerate this. We will not let him speak until he apologises for his remarks,” Sibal said while likening Modi’s remarks to a “chieftain addressing a local crowd”. Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the remarks were in “extremely poor taste and unbecoming of a Prime Minister”.

“I have never seen a Prime Minister making such derogatory remarks about a former Prime Minister. The kind of words that he has used are unacceptable,” said Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. —