Manmohan and Sonia meet P Chidambaram in Tihar Jail

New Delhi: Showing solidarity with their beleaguered leader and Rajya Sabha member P. Chidambaram, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday met him in Tihar Jail where he is lodged in connection with the INX media case.

Mrs Gandhi and Dr Singh were accompanied by the former finance minister’s son and Lok Sabha MP, Karti Chidamabaram.

Last week, Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel and senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had met Mr Chidambaram who has been lodged in Tihar Jail since September 5.

Making his family tweet after the meeting, Mr Chidamabaram said he was honoured that the two seniormost Congress leaders visited him. “I am honoured that Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh called on me today. As long as the @INCIndia party is strong and brave, I will also be strong and brave,” the tweet said.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “Everything is fine in India” remark in the United States, Mr Chidamabaram said, “Bharat mai sab achha hai. Except for unemployment, loss of existing jobs, lower wages, mob violence, lockdown in Kashmir and throwing Opposition leaders in prison.”

At the “Howdy, Modi’ event in Houston on Sunday, Mr Modi had said, “Energy of NRG (stadium) is a witness of synergy between India and the US... My answer to ‘Howdy, Modi’ is only this: Everything is fine in India”.

The meeting lasted for the full allotted time of around half-an-hour, sources said.

Karti Chidambaram also expressed his gratitude to the two Congress leaders for meeting his father. “My father and I are extremely grateful to Congress president Sonia Gandhiji and former prime minister Manmohan Singhji for visiting us today. This will give us the strength and support in this political fight,” he said.