Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Saturday courted controversy after he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India's “Second Mahatma Gandhi".
He made the remarks during an event here themed Making of Developed India (MODI).
"Even President Pranab Mukherjee is so impressed that he has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comparison could be done with former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
“But I would go a step further and say that Modi Ji is the second Mahatma Gandhi of India," Goel said.
“When the people of this country were fed up with corruption, scams of the UPA government, they called on the 'saint from Gujarat' (Modi) to lead the nation,” ANI quoted him as saying.
Goel said, "Before the Modi government was mandated to rule India, the country was inflicted with corruption, price rise, scams and chaos and there was a prime minister who couldn't take decisions, and decisions were being taken by someone else."
"The people then called on the saint from Gujarat to lead the nation. Now, after three years, the way PM Modi has taken India to new heights, no other prime minister has done so after India's independence," he added.
He also praised Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for taking steps to combat naxalism and other social malice in his state.
