Congress president Rahul Gandhi allegedly mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fitness video saying it was “bizarre” and “ridiculous”.
At an Iftar party hosted by him in a Delhi hotel on Wednesday night, Gandhi said this was bankruptcy.
“Did you see the PM’s fitness video? It is ridiculous… I mean… It is bizarre… This is bankruptcy,” PTI quoted Rahul as poking fun at the video put out by the PM on Wednesday morning.
According to the PTI report, he asked CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury to put out his fitness video as a challenge to Modi’s.
To this, Yechury reportedly said: “Arre bhai, humein to chhod do (oh please, spare me)”.
The Congress chief was sharing a table with former Presidents Pranab Mukherjee and Pratibha Patil and former Vice-President Hamid Ansari, all three of them were seen silently listening to the conversation.
TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi, BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra and DMK’s Kanimozhi were also present had reportedly had a hearty laugh talking about the video.
Among others who also attended the Congress chief’s Iftar included former PM Manmohan Singh.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was not present as she is currently abroad.
Earlier, Congress leader Pramod Tewari termed the timing of the release of the fitness video as an insult to the supreme sacrifice of the four BSF personnel who died in cross-border firing from Pakistan in Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
The PM shared his fitness video on Twitter after accepting a challenge from Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli.
Sharing the video, PM Modi had tweeted, “I appeal to every Indian to devote some part of the day towards fitness. Practice any set of exercises you are comfortable with and you will see the positive difference it will make in your life! #FitnessChallenge #HumFitTohIndiaFit.”
Here are moments from my morning exercises. Apart from Yoga, I walk on a track inspired by the Panchtatvas or 5 elements of nature – Prithvi, Jal, Agni, Vayu, Aakash. This is extremely refreshing and rejuvenating. I also practice
breathing exercises. #HumFitTohIndiaFit pic.twitter.com/km3345GuV2— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 13, 2018
“I am delighted to nominate the following for the #FitnessChallenge: Karnataka’s CM Shri @hd_kumaraswamy. India’s pride and among the highest medal winners for India in the 2018 CWG, @manikabatra_TT,” he added.
This fitness challenge on Twitter has gained immense popularity ever since Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore threw the first challenge.
Kumaraswamy, however, politely refused to take up the challenge thrown to him by the PM.
In response to PM Modi’s tweet, Kumaraswamy wrote about his own personal exercise regime and said he was more concerned about the “fitness of my state”. He also asked Modi to help him with that.
(With agency inputs)