Renuka Chowdhury apologises for Vijayashanti’s bizzare comment on PM Modi

Days after former MP and Congress leader, Vijayashanti made condemnable comments about PM Modi, senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury has apologised for the former’s irresponsible and controversial remark. Vijayashanti had made a highly controversial remark in which she compared PM Modi with a terrorist. She had said, “Everyone is scared that at what moment Modi will shoot the bomb. He looks like a terrorist. Instead of loving people, he is scaring people. It’s not the way how a PM should be.” She made this comment at a public meeting in Shamshabad, Telangana. Interestingly, that rally was also addressed by the Congress president Rahul Gandhi. It is shameful how such bizarre remarks were made at a rally that was also addressed by the Gandhi scion.

Now, in a major development, it has been reported that senior Congress leader, Renuka Chowdhury has reacted to Vijayashanti’s controversial remarks about PM Modi. Chowdhury said, “I wasn’t there & I didn’t hear what she said but if it’s true, I’m sorry. It’s regrettable bcos I don’t think that’s the language we should use for a PM whoever he is, we may not like him but we don’t talk in that fashion.” Renuka Chowdhury, therefore, tried claiming ignorance of the statement that was made but followed it up with an apology. The senior Congress leader apologised for a statement that had not been made by her but by some other party leader.

The fact that Chowdhury apologised for a fellow party leader does not come as much of a surprise. PM Modi had mocked her in an unforgiving manner in the Rajya Sabha last year and it seems that the memories of that anecdote are still fresh in her memory.

During a Rajya Sabha proceeding last year, PM Modi had questioned the Congress bid appropriating the entire credit for Aadhaar to itself. However, as soon as he spoke, Renuka Chowdhury burst into a guffaw. Rajya Sabha chairman Naidu disapproved of such conduct and said, “If you have some problem, go to a doctor, please.” What followed displayed PM Modi’s wittiness as he requested the Rajya Sabha chairman not to restrain Chowdhury, who was then a Congress MP and said, “Sabhapati ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai (I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. After the Ramayana serial, we got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter only today.)” PM Modi did not elaborate his comment but it was taken as a reference to a negative Ramayana character.

It is clear that Chowdhury has faced PM Modi’s witty humour in the past and she does not want another Congress leader to fall in a similar trap. Therefore, even before PM Modi reacted to Vijayashanti’s shameful remarks or the person making the remarks issued any clarification, Renuka Chowdhury found it appropriate to apologise and somehow get rid of the controversy that has erupted.