New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday said it is wrong to think that "Narendra Modi is India and India is Narendra Modi", as it slammed the ruling BJP for its criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his dig at the prime minister and doubled down on the "Narendra-surrender" jibe.

Amid the BJP's criticism of his remarks, Gandhi reposted a post he had made on X on June 21, 2020, in which he had said, "Narendra Modi is actually Surender Modi." Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera claimed that Gandhi's "Narender...surrender" remarks encapsulate how the prime minister has time and again "surrendered India's national interests in situations where the requisite deft and the "vishwaguru" status should have been shown.

"The BJP people were making a film for their hero for the last 11 years -- 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar'. But when the film was ready, it turned out to be 'Narender Ka Surrender'. Actually, there is no injection of bravery, but it is in-built in the character of a person. The history of BJP-RSS people has been of cowardice," Khera told a press conference at the Congress's Indira Bhawan headquarters here.

When such a person takes over the reins of the country, its future comes in danger, which is being witnessed at present, he claimed.

The Congress leader's remarks came a day after Gandhi said in Bhopal that "as soon as Trump signalled from there, picked up the phone and said, 'what are you doing Modiji? Narender, surrender'.... And Modiji obeyed Trump's orders with 'Ji Huzoor'".

Urging people to remember 1971, Gandhi said back then, a phone call had not come but the United States had sent its 7th fleet, weapons and an aircraft carrier, but prime minister Indira Gandhi did not surrender and said she would go by national interest.

Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Gandhi said they are habituated to writing "surrender letters" since Independence.

The BJP has accused Gandhi of insulting the armed forces with his "surrender" barb at Modi, saying it amounted to undermining the success of Operation Sindoor.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Congress leader has surpassed even Pakistan's army chief, prime minister and the terror masterminds based there in speaking in support of the neighbouring country, and alleged that his jibes reflect a sick and dangerous mindset.

Hitting back at the BJP, Khera said, "When the brave Indian Army had Pakistan on its knees, (US President Donald) Trump called and Narendra Modi surrendered. Trump said many times that we got the ceasefire done by threatening about trade, but Modi has not given a reply to Trump till date." "He will not even answer, because the name is Narender, the work is surrender -- this is the reality and the truth," he added.

"We have been asking this for the last one month -- why was this deal made with the self-respect of the country? On what conditions was the ceasefire finally done? Where are terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, Azhar Masood?" the Congress leader said.

But for the last one month, instead of answers, people have been hearing only "cheap" dialogues, he added.

"We ask the Prem Chopra of rallies, why doesn't he give a reply to Trump (on his claims)? If you do not have the guts to answer him, why don't you answer us? Those who ask questions are labelled as speaking the language of Pakistan," Khera said.

The Congress leader said the opposition, which is asking questions, is taking the voice of crores of people of the country to the prime minister.

"Narendra Modi can be the prime minister but the country is not the prime minister. One can be the prime minister, the servant of the country, but India is known by different names like Jambudweep, Hindustan, Bharat, India and not Narendra Modi, nor can it ever be known by that name," Khera said.

Those who say that talking about Modi's surrender is akin to talking of India's surrender should understand it clearly that this country belongs to 140 crore people and it belongs to everyone as much as it does to Modi, he said.

"So do not think that Narendra Modi is India and India is Narendra Modi. It is wrong to think so. Narendra Modi is the prime minister of the country, but he is not the country," the Congress leader said.

Trump's repeated claims -- 11 in 21 days -- that the US intervened between India and Pakistan to "broker a ceasefire" have shown how the Modi government "surrendered" India's interests, "admonished" India's long-standing stance in the Shimla Agreement, hyphenated India and Pakistan, allowing the US to even moot the idea of talks at a "neutral site", Khera alleged.

"If you look at the 11 years of Narendra Modi's tenure, you will see him surrendering every time. They (BJP) used to say that they will bring back black money, eliminate unemployment, double the income of farmers and show red eyes to China -- but they surrendered," he claimed.

"The situation has become such that when they (government) talk about China, they give it a clean chit.... They are unable to take China's name and they make fun about how people from the northeast look and insult Lord Ganesha. It is said that Ganeshji's eyes are small and they do not open. Why does Narendra Modi not make a policy that goods will not be purchased from China?" Khera asked.

He claimed that Modi has taken training from actor-turned BJP MP Paresh Rawal in mouthing dialogues and speeches.

Khera alleged that in the Modi government, the policies within the country are being run by trolls and the foreign policy is being run by a person "who has surrendered". PTI ASK RC