Raincoat Jibe: Congress to Boycott PM Narendra Modi in Parliament Till he Apologises

New Delhi: The Congress has decided to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament until he apologises for his “raincoat” jibe made against former PM Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, putting questions on the functioning of the ongoing Budget Session and the upcoming Monsoon Session.

Top Congress sources said the party will boycott Parliament on Thursday – the last day of the Budget Session – if the PM is present. “The party will continue to boycott Parliament if Modi is present in the House until he apologises for the remarks. From now onwards, it is gone to be a war between Congress and the PM,” a top Congress leader told News18.

ALSO READ: Modi Attacks Manmohan, Says Only He Knows 'How to Bathe in a Raincoat'

Congress has started reaching out to other Opposition political parties as well, especially in the Rajya Sabha, to get their support on this issue and to condemn PM Modi’s remarks.

Replying to the President’s address in the Upper House on Wednesday, PM Modi had defended his demonetisation drive, and he sought to rip apart Congress’s criticism on note ban by targeting Manmohan Singh, who had earlier called the decision a “monumental blunder”.

“So many scams but not a stain on him. Only Manmohan Singh knows the art of bathing wearing a raincoat,” Modi had quipped in his Rajya Sabha speech, alluding to his “clean image” despite the many scams that happened under his watch.

The Congress had walked out of Parliament as soon as Modi made the controversial remarks on Wednesday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Rajya Sabha Witnesses Angry Outburst by Venkaiah Naidu

Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram immediately launched a scathing attack on Modi calling his comment “harsh, ugly and in poor taste.”

“It is unbecoming of a PM to have such harsh, ugly statements about a former PM. We are very angry and expressed our protest by walking out. We could have rushed to the well and shouted down the PM, but that would have brought us down to the present PM's level,” he had said.

Later in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the PM for his comments.

He demeans his position and himself more than anyone else. Today's events were saddening and frankly; they were shameful

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 8, 2017

Union minister Smriti Irani was quick to counter the criticism.

So says a man, who insulted the PM from his own party by tearing up an ordinance just to boost his image. https://t.co/50g8ZMyDwg

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) February 8, 2017