"Not smart to bet against India": Union Minister slams German cartoonist for mocking country’s pop.

• Hitting out at German media company for its cartoon mocking India as the most populous country, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that in a few years India's economy will surpass that of Germany
• The Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said it was unwise to bet against a "new India" under PM Narendra Modi
• India's population of 140.76 million recently surpassed that of China, according to the UN

Hitting out at German media company 'Der Spiegel' for its cartoon mocking India as the most populous country, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Tuesday said that in a few years India's economy will surpass that of Germany.

The Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said it was unwise to bet against a "new India" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Chandrashekhar wrote: “Dear @derspiegel cartoonists Regardless of your attempt to mock India, it is not smart to bet against India under PM @narendramodi. In a few years India's economy will be bigger than Germany's #NewIndia,”

The satirical cartoon aims to create a comparison between the state of two nations: India and China. Sketches are shown of two trains with an overcrowded Indian undercarriage, people on all sides of the carriages some even hanging from the top of the train and a cartoon character holding an Indian flag. In stark contrast, the caricature shows a posh bullet train parked on the opposite track, while drivers stare in shock at an Indian train full of wide-eyed people.

The cartoon, which clearly mocks India for its population and glorifies China for its advanced technology, angered a large crowd, who shunned the racist depiction and expressed that it was far from the reality of the country. Commenting on Chandrashekhar's post, Indian businessman Kiran Madhunapantula wrote: “Some cartoonists have a voluntary right to offend. This cartoonist may not see which flags are being waved on his local trains.” Another user wrote: "Germans support racism - never learn."

However, some users have also pointed out that it is necessary to recognize that India's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms is a fraction of Germany's. India's population of 140.76 million recently surpassed that of China, according to the United Nations (UN).