Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, with a “huge hug” via a tweet.

Countering Gandhi’s allegations over Rafale deal, the PM had on Saturday taunted the Congress chief by invoking his father.

“Your father was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘bhrashtachari No 1′ (corrupt number 1),” PM Modi said at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh, referring to allegations against Rajiv Gandhi in the Bofors scam.

Today, the 48-year-old Gandhi reminded the PM of “karma” and signed off with a “hug”.

“Modi Ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won’t protect you. All my love and a huge hug. Rahul,” read the tweet from the Congress chief.

Modi Ji,

The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won’t protect you.

All my love and a huge hug.

Rahul

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 5, 2019

Gandhi had last year hugged the PM in the Lok Sabha, which made headlines.

Gandhi’s sister and Rajiv Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, too, slammed the PM for the remarks.

“The prime minister, who is seeking votes in the name of martyrs, yesterday disrespected the martyrdom of a noble man.  People in Amethi will give a befitting reply… Rajiv Gandhi gave his life for the people of Amethi. Yes Modi ji, this nation never forgives deception,” Vadra said in a strongly worded tweet in Hindi.

शहीदों के नाम पर वोट माँगकर उनकी शहादत को अपमानित करने वाले प्रधानमंत्री ने कल अपनी बेलगाम सनक में एक नेक और पाक इंसान की शहादत का निरादर किया। जवाब अमेठी की जनता देगी जिनके लिए राजीव गांधी ने अपनी जान दी। हाँ मोदीजी ‘यह देश धोकेबाज़ी को कभी माफ नहीं करता’।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) May 5, 2019

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram condemned the PM’s remark.

“Mr Modi has crossed all limits of propriety and decency by defaming a man (Rajiv Gandhi) who died in 1991,” Chidambaram tweeted.

“The PM’s remarks on former PM Rajiv Gandhi show the extent of his desperation and fear of defeat,” he added in another tweet.

Mr Modi has crossed all limits of propriety and decency by defaming a man (Rajiv Gandhi) who died in 1991.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 5, 2019

‘De mortuis nihil nisi bonum’. Of the dead, speaking nothing but the good.

Has the PM heard of this ancient wisdom?

Does any religion allow anyone to speak ill of the dead?

The PM’s remarks on former PM Rajiv Gandhi show the extent of his desperation and fear of defeat.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 5, 2019

Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda said that as a Gujarati, he is ashamed of the PM’s remarks.

“We were hurt by what PM said about Rajiv Gandhi yesterday. Normally PM of a country speaks for the people, it’s a huge accountability. PM can’t speak nonsense. But yesterday the PM said to Rahul Gandhi ‘aapke pita no.1 corrupt they marte waqt’.”

“Why did he say that? We are ashamed of the statement. I am a Gujarati too and come from Gandhi-ji’s state. People of this state can lie so much and speak such lowly things; this saddens us,” Pitroda said on Sunday.

Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991, had got a clean chit in the Bofors scam from the court. The court said there was no evidence that he accepted bribes.