A tweet posted by the Karnataka Congress on Monday, 18 October, sparked controversy after it referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘angootha chhaap’ or illiterate.
“Congress built schools but Modi never went to study. Congress even set up schemes for adults to learn, Modi didn’t learn there too. People who chose to beg for a living despite beggary being prohibited are today pushing citizens to beggary. Country is suffering because of “#angoothachhaap modi,” the Karnataka Congress had tweeted in Kannada on Monday.
Merely hours after the tweet was posted, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar expressed his regrets over the “uncivil tweet” and noted that it had been withdrawn.
“I have always believed that civil and parliamentary language is a non-negotiable prerequisite for political discourse. An uncivil tweet made by a novice social media manager through the Karnataka Congress official Twitter handle is regretted and stands withdrawn,” he said.
BJP Karnataka spokesperson Malavika Avinash, retaliating to the tweet, said “only the Congress could stoop so low,” NDTV reported.
The Karnataka Congress’ remark comes at a time when the state Assembly bypolls for two seats, Sindagi and Hangal, are fast-approaching. The by-elections, to be held on 30 October, will see the BJP contesting under the leadership of the recently-instated Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.