In a photo that has gone viral on social media, Congress leaders and workers can be seen celebrating their victory over the BJP in the assembly elections by wearing masks of BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi and distributing tea.
Look at the level of arrogance of @ShindePraniti after winning 3 states.. Imagine what if they win #2019 @DrGPradhan @nanditathhakur @TajinderBagga @sambitswaraj @RenukaJain6 @republic @ZeeNewsHindi @Dev_Fadnavis @Shubhrastha @smitaprakash @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/pDl1LEXUAq
— #Nithin ?? (@nithingsoma) December 11, 2018
The masks of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are representative of the ‘chaiwala’ jibe the Congress party has used time and again to target the Prime Minister’s humble beginnings. Union Minister Smriti Irani has responded to the photo calling it arrogant and asserting that the Congress party’s mindset ‘abhors’ people who rise from poor backgrounds by virtue of their hard work.
Humble beginnings marked the journey of our PM. Today in an arrogant celebration, a mindset that abhors hardworking individuals comes to the fore. और अभी तो सिर्फ़ 24 घंटे हुए हैं। https://t.co/5e4tGHV3GR
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) December 12, 2018
People on social media were not pleased with the manner of celebration either. Some have called it ‘abusive’ and ‘casteist’.
Classic Congress: Feudal, casteist, arrogant and abusive. pic.twitter.com/Pw4a4leFSH
— Abhinav Prakash (@Abhina_Prakash) December 12, 2018
Others have dubbed it ‘Congress culture’ and ‘cheap’.
Not surprised “It’s age old CONGI culture.” https://t.co/8ONJgtmGkZ
— rajan shah (@rajansh61044553) December 12, 2018
Cheap. Very cheap. They should not become arrogant at all. If public can dethrone @BJP4India after 5 years they can be dethroned too. Too much arrogance is bad. https://t.co/bQHDwvnsH2
— Rohit Gautam?? (@rohitgautam1990) December 12, 2018
Is it called the beauty of democracy… these cheap congressis can’t deserve success… disgusting ?? https://t.co/ifPlp3r1zL
— priyanka sharma ?? (@priyank88341240) December 12, 2018
Calling it in ‘bad taste, some said that it was a departure from what Congress President Rahul Gandhi preaches.
This is truly in bad taste @INCIndia. Your President @RahulGandhi did not speak this language yesterday. Arrogance is everyone’s undoing https://t.co/IUB8gblNFq
— Poulomi Saha (@PoulomiMSaha) December 12, 2018
The Congress party had made personal attacks even during their election campaign. In Rajasthan, a Congress candidate had abused the Prime Minister in extremely filthy language. Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Raj Babbar had used the devaluing rupee to mock the mother of Modi. Earlier, senior Congress leader C.P. Joshi had hurled casteist slurs at Narendra Modi. Prior to Assembly elections in Gujarat, Mani Shankar Aiyer had called him ‘Neech’.