Nirupam, who is Congress Maharashtra unit chief, triggered a controversy on Wednesday after he called Narendra Modi "illiterate", while criticising the state government's decision to screen a short film on the prime minister's life at schools in Maharashtra.
Defending his comment, which drew a sharp reaction from BJP leaders, Nirupam said the words he used weren't undignified.
“It’s a democracy and the PM isn’t God in a democracy, people speak of him while maintaining a decorum. The words I used aren’t undignified,” ANI quoted Nirupam as saying.
Nirupam had on Wednesday said: "The decision to screen the film forcibly is wrong. Children should be kept away from politics. What will students learn from watching a film on an uneducated and illiterate person like Modi."
"Children and people do not know how many degrees the prime minister holds," he had said.
Reacting to Nirupam's remarks, Shaina NC had tweeted, "Yet another abnoxious comment by a mentally deranged @sanjaynirupam . May be he forgets that @narendramodi is elected by 125 cr Indians who aren't "unpad or gavar".@INCIndia is devoid of ideology and relevant questions. Sure citizens will give a befitting reply in 2019 (sic).
Anil Shirole, a BJP MP from Maharashtra had tweeted, "PM is not a representative of one party, he is the Prime Minister of the Country and it's people. @sanjaynirupam by insulting our PM you have insulted and disrespected the office, the country and the constitution drafted by Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar ji (sic).