Pawan Khera’s misnaming of PM Modi draws criticism from BJP

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday courted controversy after he wrongly named Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting a sharp reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Khera called the Prime Minister Narendra Gautamdas Modi instead of Narendra Damodar Modi. Damodardas Mulchand Modi is the name of the Prime Minister's father.

Khera was speaking at a briefing on the opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the ongoing Adani-Hindenburg dispute.

Taking a dig at the Center on the Adani issue, a Congress spokesperson said, “We are clear about the JPC. Why are you running away from the debate in parliament? Why are you running away from the JPC probe demand? If Narsimha Rao could order a JPC probe, if Atal Bihari Vajpayee could do it, then why can't Narendra Gautamdas do it...sorry Damodardas Modi?”. Khera then asked if the prime minister's middle name was Gautamdas or Damodardas. After being corrected, Khera said "Naam Damodardas hai, kaam Gautamdas wala hai (His name is Damodardas, his work is like Gautamdas)".

Responding to Kher's remark, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya said the Congress has repeatedly targeted PM Modi for his humble background. Malviya tweeted, “Congress has repeatedly targeted PM Modi for his humble background and now has not spared even his dead father who had nothing to do with politics… Congress' deep-rooted sense of entitlement and self-loathing. created man is unfit for aspirational India.'

After receiving widespread criticism from social media, the Congress leader later admitted that he was indeed confused by the prime minister's middle name. "I was really confused if it was Damodardas or Gautam Das...," he tweeted. The Congress has long been demanding a thorough probe and formation of a joint parliamentary committee on the Adani matter.