New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not campaign for anyone in the US and ticked off Congress Rajya Sabha MP Naseer Hussain for making such a claim.
Responding to a supplementary question in the Upper House, the minister said, "The member apparently has a party attitude, and keeps uttering lies in the House. The prime minister did not campaign for anyone. This is not the first time this party has taken this position. I urge him to withdraw this."
Hussain had claimed that the Indian prime minister campaigned in another country, adding that "Modi ji's friend assaulted Indians soon after becoming president". Hussain and some Congress members, however, objected to Jaishankar's remark, saying he could not use "unparliamentary" language.
"The foreign minister cannot use unparliamentary language," he said. Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was in the chair, said Hussain's remark would not go on record as it was not related to his question on "monitoring of Indian students abroad post-conflict situations".
"(According to) Rule 238, a member has to get permission from the chairman before making an allegation against anyone holding a constitutional position. Nothing will go on record," Harivansh said.
Responding to another supplementary question, Jaishankar said the government carefully monitored the number of students in all countries.
"We also carefully monitor their welfare. Wherever there is a situation of any tension or likelihood of violence, we alert the students, as we had done in Ukraine," he said.
"Where there is a requirement for us to take any further steps like running a flight for their rescue or any other situation like that, we are prepared. We always have contingency plans," he added.
