In Rahul Gandhi’s ‘thank you’ to S Jaishankar, an attack on PM Modi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday tweeted a “thank you” to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for clarifying PM Modi’s “Trump sarkar” remark, which many perceived it as an interference in another country’s politics.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “Thank you Mr Jaishankar for covering up our PM’s incompetence. His fawning endorsement caused serious problems with the Democrats for India. I hope it gets ironed out with your intervention. While you’re at it, do teach him a little bit about diplomacy.”

Jaishankar, who is on a three-day trip to Washington DC, strongly refuted the notion that PM Modi used the phrase to endorse Trump’s candidature for his 2020 re-election campaign.

“I think, please, look very carefully at what the prime minister said. My recollection of what the prime minister said was that candidate Trump had used this (“Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkaar”). So PM is talking about the past. I don’t think we should, honestly, misinterpret what was said. I don’t think you’re doing a good service to anybody,” Jaishankar said while answering journalists.

PM Modi during the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event in Houston, with US President Trump by his side, told the Indian-Americans gathered there “Abki baar Trump Sarkar”, which critics said that it was interference in another country’s electoral process.