'For what I did to him, he was too generous', Ex-Cong leader praises PM Modi

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a statesman who never took any revenge despite the former attacking him on issues like Article 370, Citizenship Amendment Act or hijab row.

''I must give credit to Modi. For what I did to him, he was too generous. During my tenure in the Parliament leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha I did not spare him on any issue be it Article 370 or CAA or hijab. I got some Bills totally failed but I must give him the credit that he never reacted to the harsh words I used against his government's performance. I found him to be a great listener with a capacity to tolerate criticism,'' Azad told during an interview with news agency ANI.

When asked that immediately after Modi's speech he was dubbed as an agent of the BJP, Azad said ''that is insulting. That means that the brains of some people are polluted and they need to go back to kindergarten to learn ABC of politics.

"Nehru ji, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi could bear the shock, they had endurance, they had public support and respect and with their work over a period of time, they could rebound. Current Congress leadership has no influence over people", Azad said in the interview.

His remark ahead of the crucial four Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections is contrast with those of opposition leaders who have accused the Modi government of misusing agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to silence its critics.

But this is not the first time when Azad has praised the prime minister. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister in 2021 had said he appreciates Modi for not hiding the fact that he hails from a village and sold tea.