The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (November 29) termed a recent remark by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi about the outgoing US President as unfortunate. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi during a weekly press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Gandhi's comments on the cognitive abilities of outgoing US President Joe Biden were unfortunate and did not represent the position of the Government of India.
He further remarked that the comments by the opposition leader were not in keeping with India’s warm and friendly ties with the United States. "India shares a multifaceted partnership with the United States, and this partnership has been built over years of perseverance, togetherness, mutual respect, and commitment by both sides," the MEA Spokesperson said.
"We view such remarks as unfortunate, and they are not in keeping with the warm and friendly ties we share with the United States. These comments do not represent the position of the Government of India," the MEA added.
About Rahul Gandhi's 'memory loss' jibe at Modi, Biden
It is pertinent to note that during an election rally in Maharashtra on November 16, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggested that he (the PM) appeared to be suffering from "memory loss," comparing him to the "former President" of the United States.
"My sister was telling me that she heard Modi ji's speech. And in that speech, whatever we say, Modi ji is repeating these days. I don’t know, maybe he has lost his memory," Rahul Gandhi had said.
"The former President of America used to forget; he had to be reminded from behind. The President of Ukraine came, and the President of America thought Russian President Putin had arrived. He had lost his memory. Similarly, our Prime Minister is losing his memory," he added.
Medical practitioners demand public apology
In the aftermath of Rahul Gandhi's statement, a group of medical practitioners demanded a public apology from the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.
In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, All India President of the National Medicos Organisation Bharat (NMO-Bharat) CB Tripathi criticized the remarks, stating that they suggested a “lack of sensitivity” and perpetuated harmful stereotypes about ageing and cognitive health.
He added that such remarks were “unbecoming” of a Leader of the Opposition and reflected a “lack of understanding and sensitivity.”
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