Just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday compared Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to Nelson Mandela, Congress leader Amarinder Singh ridiculed the remark and termed it an "insult" to the legendary South African anti-apartheid icon.
"Either it is a tongue in cheek comment by the prime minister and he really did not mean what he said, or he actually does not know what he is saying. If Mr Modi really meant so, it is an insult to the great stature of Nelson Mandela, who single-handed fought against and defeated the apartheid in South Africa," Amarinder, the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said in a statement here.
Badal Sahab is sitting here...he is the Nelson Mandela of India. He has spent so many years in prison & that too for political reasons: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2015
The former Punjab chief minister said: "Mandela spent 27 years in jail in isolation and solitary confinement fighting against apartheid, while Badal may not have spent a total of even 27 months in jail and most of the time in luxury and hospitality of the government.
"And most of the jail terms of Mr Badal were voluntary as he would always hide behind the safety and the hospitality of the government guest houses after sparking trouble in Punjab and getting people killed."
#YoBadalSoMandela "Who says our PM has no sense of humour. Let's hope, like Mandela, Bharat Ratna/Nobel Prize next for Badal"
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 11, 2015
Ridiculing the prime minister's remarks that Badal is the "Nelson Mandela of India", Amarinder said: "Who says our prime minister does not have a sense of humour?"
Accusing Badal of "destroying the entire social and economic fabric of Punjab", he said: "There can be no greater insult to Mandela than comparing someone like Badal with him."
"If Modi seriously means Badal to be the Nelson Mandela of India, then, I am sure, he might be thinking that like Mandela, he (Badal) deserves a Bharat Ratna and Nobel Peace Prize also and he should really lobby for him," said the Congress leader.
Badal is the Nelson Mandela of India?
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 11, 2015
Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, tweeted a question soon after PM’s remark, ‘Badal Nelson Mandela of India?”.
#YoBadalSoMandela that he spent years in prison for Sikh Panth in Bhindranwale & post bluestar era. https://t.co/XqpOUv7gmU
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) October 11, 2015
Supreme Court Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde tweeted, “That he spent years in prison for Sikh panth in Bhindrawale and Post Blue Star era”.
Dear PM please have some pity on the legendary Nelson Mandela. Don't compare him with Alibaba of Punjab. #YoBadalSoMandela
— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) October 11, 2015
Not to be left behind, President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Partap Singh Bajwa, tweeted, ” Dear PM please have some pity on the legendary Nelson Mandela. Don’t compare him with Ali Baba of Punjab”. Bajwa tweeted another caustic remark saying, “Under Badal government farmers are dying, 70 per cent youth of Punjab is hooked to drugs, and PM Modi calls Mr Badal Nelson Mandela of India”.
Modi Ji just proved why he is our own Donald Trump. #YoBadalSoMandela
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) October 11, 2015
Congress Spokesperson Sanjay Jha tweeted, “Modi ji just proved why he is our own Donald Trump”.
Badal, 87, the chief minister of Punjab for the fifth time, had earlier claimed that he was the longest serving political prisoner in the world after Mandela. The claim has been disputed by state Congress leadership.
