Rahul asks Jaishankar to teach PM 'little bit of diplomacy' over 'Abki baar Trump sarkar' remark

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday suggested Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to teach the Prime Minister a "little bit about diplomacy" while stating that Narendra Modi's "fawning endorsement" of US President Donald Trump's re-election at the mega even in Texas last month caused problems for India with the Democrats.

"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," Rahul wrote on Twitter.

The Congress leader made the remarks while sharing a media report which quoted Jaishankar as saying that what Prime Minister said at the 'Howdy, Modi!' event should not be misinterpreted.

Modi raised the slogan 'Abki baar Trump sarkar' before the 50,000 strong crowd of Indian-Americans at Houston's NRG Stadium. The slogan, a modified version of BJP's poll pitch 'Ab ki baar Modi sarkar', was used by Trump during his campaign before his election as president in 2017.

"Friends, we in India have connected well with President Trump, the words of candidate Trump, 'Ab ki baar, Trump sarkar (This time, Trump government) rang loud and clear," Modi had said at the event on 23 September.

Modi's remarks came under sharp criticism from Congress which accused the Prime Minister of violating India's foreign policy of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country.

Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma, in his tweet, had hit out at Modi stating that he was in the US as India's prime minister and not as a star campaigner in the US elections.

Reportedly, Jaishankar, who is currently on a three-day trip to Washington DC, also said that India has a non-partisan stand on domestic American politics and that Prime Minister reiterating what Trump had said while pitching his candidature to the Indian American community during his election campaign for last polls.