PM praises Azad in Parliament, adds 'G-23' taunt at Congress

New Delhi, Feb 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday heaped praise on veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad while taking a swipe at the grand old party's ongoing internal tension and the letter controversy.

In his reply in the Rajya Sabha to a debate on the President's Budget session speech, PM Modi said the Congress veteran always speaks decently and never uses foul language.

"Ghulam Nabi ji always speaks decently, never uses foul language. We should learn this from him, I respect him for it. He praised elections held in J&K, but I am concerned. I believe your party will take it in right spirit and not make the mistake of doing the opposite by taking it as the view of the G-23," the Prime Minister remarked.

The 'G-23' reference was about the 23 senior leaders of the grand old party who had written a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, asking her for leadership change in the party.

Azad, part of the group of 23 leaders who wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 seeking radical organisational overhaul.