New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut came down heavily on former US president Barack Obama for his remarks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his memoir “A Promised Land”. Raut raised questions on Obama’s knowledge about India and asserted that a foreign politician cannot give such opinions on Indian political leaders.
“A foreign politician cannot give such opinions on Indian political leaders. The subsequent domestic political discourse on Obama’s remark on the Congress leader is distasteful. We won’t say ‘Trump is mad’. How much does Obama know about this nation?” news agency ANI quoted Raut as saying.
In his memoir, the former US president had stated that Gandhi was “eager to impress” but “lacked either the aptitude or the passion” to master the subject.
His remarks stoked controversy in India with the grand old party defending their leader.
“Obama and Rahul Gandhi must have met briefly, probably 8-10 years ago when he came to India as US President. To assess someone in few meetings is tough. Rahul Gandhi’s personality has changed since then, he has gained a lot of experience,” said Congress leader Tariq Anwar.
Meanwhile, Obama has also written about former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, saying he comes across as “having a kind of impassive integrity”.