BJP slams AAP for calling Modi 'neech' person, calls it insult to country's democratic process

The BJP on Monday slammed AAP over a derogatory remark purportedly made by its Gujarat unit chief against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that it is an "insult to the democratic process of India and the state".

BJP's IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya had on Sunday shared a video on Twitter where Gopal Italia, AAP's Gujarat convener, can be heard calling PM Modi "neech aadmi" (a lowly person).

It has been reported that the video is from 2019 and was made during the run-up to the general elections.


Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters on Monday, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said the kind of language used by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Prime Minister "exposes AAP and shows what is their intention."
Asserting that no Prime Minister can be called "neech admi", as "all Prime Ministers are democratically elected. And calling them neech aadmi (lowly person) is an insult to democratic process of India ... parliamentary process of the country."

Stating that AAP will face the same fate as Congress did after its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar used the same invective for Modi, Patra said, "Prime Minister Modi hails from Gujarat and using such remarks against him is an insult of Gujarat too."

"Everyone has seen the condition of Congress in the entire country. Arvind Kejriwal is using the exact same language today," he said.

Gujarat has been a stronghold of the BJP, where it has been in power for nearly three decades. AAP has been trying to make inroads in the state by positioning itself as the main challenger to the BJP.

The elections in the state are scheduled to be held later this year.