NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and blamed him for India's heartbreaking loss to Australia in the World Cup final.
Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan's Jalore, Rahul suggested that India lost the match in Ahmedabad because PM Modi was in attendance.
During the rally, somebody in the crowd yelled "panauti", which means unlucky or a bad omen.
In response, Rahul grinned and said: "Haan ... panauti, panauti ... acha bhala waha pe humare ladke World Cup jeet jaate, waha pe panauti harwa diya. TV wale ye nahi kahenge magar janta jaanti hai (Our boys were easily going to win the World Cup but the 'bad omen' made us lose. The media won't point this out but people know).
Though he didn't name him directly, it was clear that Rahul was alluding to the fact that PM Modi personally attended the final match in Ahmedabad.
The BJP later hit out at the Wayanad MP for his remarks against the Prime Minister and demanded an apology from Rahul.
"What happened to you, Rahul Gandhi? You are using such words for the Prime Minister of the country. Our Prime Minister met the players and motivated them. Winning or losing is part of the game. Rahul Gandhi needs to apologise," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
Asking Rahul Gandhi to learn from the past, Prasad said, "You need to learn from the past. Your mother (Sonia Gandhi) used the word 'Maut ka saudagar' (dealer of deaths) for Narendra Modi and see where is the Congress now."
India suffered a distressing loss to Australia at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday after their dominant 10-match undefeated streak at the World Cup.
Australia beat India by 6 wickets to claim their sixth World Cup title, breaking over a billion hearts. PM Modi met the Indian players after the match and consoled them, saying that the entire country is proud of the team.
"India stands with them today and always," he said, sharing a brief video on social media on Tuesday of his meeting with the squad soon after the final.
"You reached here after winning 10 matches. These things happen," the prime minister is seen telling captain Rohit Sharma and champion batter Virat Kohli, holding their hands, in the video.
"Smile, the country is watching you," he said. PM Modi hugged Mohammed Shami, India's most impressive bowler in the tournament, and said he performed very well.