Youth Cong mocks PM Modi with 'chaiwala' meme, apologizes after getting slammed

Yuva Desh, the 'Indian Youth Congress' online magazine, tweeted a derogatory meme attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Youth Congress' online magazine tweeted a picture of Prime Minister Modi in conversation with United States President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo: Twitter

NEW DELHI: In the run-up to the Gujarat Assembly polls, the political slugfest between the Congress and the BJP reached a new low when 'Yuva Desh', the 'Indian Youth Congress' online magazine, tweeted a derogatory meme attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday. The online magazine tweeted a picture of Prime Minister Modi in conversation with United States President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. PM Modi can be seen asking them if they were aware of the various 'memes' that have been circulated on the social media by the Opposition against him. [MUST READ] Shocking video: Woman asked by police to 'remove burqa' during CM Yogi Adityanath's rally in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia The meme mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi as put out by Yuva Desh. Hours after the tweet was put out, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani took notice and asked if Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi would approve of such a jibe at the country's head. [ALSO READ] UP Municipal Elections 2017 LIVE UPDATES: Yogi assures BJP's victory in local body polls "This blatantly classist and anti-poor Tweet by the Youth Congress shows their mindset towards India's poor. Does Crown Prince @OfficeOfRG support this?" tweeted Rupani.

This blatantly classist and anti-poor Tweet by the Youth Congress shows their mindset towards India’s poor. Does Crown Prince @OfficeOfRG support this? https://t.co/gOqRqWIfL4

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) November 21, 2017

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah also reacted to the tweet. "What is about elements of the Congress party that commit political suicide with such amazing regularity? This tweet is in such poor taste," he posted.

What is about elements of the Congress party that commit political suicide with such amazing regularity? This tweet is in such poor taste. https://t.co/swRy5l57WU — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 21, 2017

Yuva Desh's original tweet, however, now stands deleted. The Youth Congress, in its clarification, tendered an apology and said the Twitter handle @Yuvadesh is managed by youth volunteers and not by the Youth Congress. "Although the handle @Yuvadesh is being run by youth volunteers and not by @iyc , we do not approve of such humour and apologise. Despite political differences with the BJP & having suffered everyday abuse from their leaders, we respect the Prime Minister & all political opponents," it said in a tweet.

Although the handle @Yuvadesh is being run by youth volunteers and not by @iyc ,we do not approve of such humour and apologise. Despite political differences with the BJP & having suffered everyday abuse from their leaders, we respect the Prime Minister & all political opponents.

— Amarinder Singh Raja (@RajaBrar_INC) November 21, 2017

This is not the first time the Congress has taken reference to the prime minister's beginning as a tea vendor. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had, in January 2014, before the Modi-wave took the nation by surprise, said "Modi would never become prime minister, but he was welcome to serve tea to Congressmen." Latching on to the barb, PM Modi attacked the Congress for not being able to "tolerate a person from backward caste who had humble beginnings". Rahul Gandhi had then disapproved of the jibe at PM Modi being a subaltern. The BJP had then turned Aiyar's attack into a campaign asset - "chai pe charcha" - rankling the Congress. (With inputs from ANI)