Congress 'disapproves, rejects' Yuva Desh's derogatory tweet attacking PM Modi

New Delhi [India], November 21 (ANI): The Congress has disapproved and rejected its online magazine's derogatory tweet attacking PM Narendra Modi, saying that the party's culture imbibed respect for the prime minister and all political opponents.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Tuesday took to Twitter, hours after Yuva Desh's tweet drew flak, and furnished an explanation for the same.

"INC strongly disapproves & rejects such humour through memes. Differences on policy and opinion aside, Congress culture imbibes respect for PM and all political opponents," Surjewala tweeted.

INC strongly disapproves & rejects such humour through memes. Differences on policy and opinion aside, Congress culture imbibes respect for PM and all political opponents. https://t.co/RqLOugCHwh

— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 21, 2017

The political slugfest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached a new low when 'Yuva Desh', the 'Indian Youth Congress' online magazine, tweeted a derogatory meme attacking Prime Minister Modi.

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 about the various 'memes' that have been circulated on the social media by the Opposition against him.

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.

"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.

Yuva Desh's original tweet, however, now stands deleted.

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. (ANI)