Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday drew criticism from Congress for his remarks where he described Mahatma Gandhi as ‘mahapurush’ (great man) of the century and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘yugpurush’ (man of the century).

During his speech at an event dedicated to Jain mystic Shrimad Rajchandraji, Dhankhar stated, “Mahatma Gandhi freed us from the slavery of the British through satyagraha and non-violence. India’s successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken us to a path where we always wanted to be,” PTI reported.

Also Read: ‘Congress, KCR equal sinners in destroying Telangana’: PM Modi in Mahabubabad Mahabubabad

“I want to tell you one thing. The mahapurush of the last century was Mahatma Gandhi. Narendra Modi is the yugpurush of this century,” he added.

The Vice President said that both Mahatma Gandhi and PM Modi reflected the spirit and teachings of Shrimad Rajchandraji, linking their ideologies to the revered Jain mystic and philosopher.

Also Read: ‘Hate served under garb of social changes’: Congress attacks BJP-RSS on Constitution Day

However, Dhankhar’s comparison drew criticism from Congress leader Manickam Tagore, who said it was “shameful” to compare PM Modi to the father of the nation.

In a post on X, Tagore expressed his disapproval, stating, “If you compare with Mahatma, it’s shameful sir. We all know there is a limit to sycophancy now you have crossed that limit, and to be in your chair and position and to be a sycophant does not add value sir.”

Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali also reacted, questioning the appropriateness of allowing an MP from the Prime Minister’s party to use what he deemed “abusive language against a particular community.”

Ali referred to a previous incident in September when BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri made objectionable remarks against him during a discussion on the Chandrayaan-3 mission in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, during the event, also highlighted the importance of unity against forces resisting India’s progress, underlining the nation’s ancient civilization that dates back over 5,000 years.