‘PM must act against his leaders’

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help restore dignity of political discourse by displaying courage in initiating action against his colleagues in the party for using foul language.

“Will the Prime Minister take action against his colleagues for using foul and abusive language against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders. That will help in restoring the dignity of our political discourse,” party’s senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said.

He said Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comments on the Prime Minister are “distasteful and unacceptable” and the Congress culture and traditions do not allow such statements.

“Rahul Gandhi has disapproved and Congress has taken action.

“It is equally sad and deplorable that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and their official spokespersons have dragged the political discourse to unprecedented lows,” Mr Sharma said.

Another Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders use derogatory words for father of the nation, and also for Sonia and Rahul.

“Rahul Gandhi displayed morality and suspended Mani Shankar Aiyar. On the same yardstick, if Modiji shows the same morality then Modiji will have to suspend himself, as he used some bad words for Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, besides against other leaders,” Mr Kumar said.

“If he has a little morality in him, the Prime Minister should suspend himself and Amit Shah, besides other leaders too,” he also said.

The Congress suspended Aiyar from the primary membership of the party after the Gandhi family loyalist set off a firestorm by calling Modi “neech aadmi” (a lowly person).