Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday asked poet and Bollywood personality Pritish Nandy whether it was a fad to bash Prime Minister Narendra Modi or a conspiracy to bash India, as Nandi on Sunday accompanied Pope Francis to PM Modi. The question was raised about the hug.
Sharing a picture of PM Modi and Pope Francis hugging each other and congratulating each other, Nandi wrote, “Great to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugging the Pope at the Vatican today. He was honored by Muslim and Sikh spiritual leaders. It would be nice to see it doing the same thing together. It may help tame the belligerent devotees who are shaming India.”
The tweet sparked several reactions on social media and one of them was that of the Minister for Minority Affairs, who had posted the last four pictures of PM Modi with Muslim and Sikh spiritual leaders. The minister himself is also seen in one of the photos.
“Brother, is this a Modi bashing frenzy? Or, a conspiracy to curse India?” The minister wrote.
भैय्या.. "मोदी बैशिंग की सनक है".. या "भारत बैशिंग की साजिश"..?https://t.co/LLJLPyWA6Q pic.twitter.com/EM652VCAQJ
— Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (@naqvimukhtar) October 31, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met and invited Pope Francis to India in what has been termed as a historic meeting between an Indian prime minister and the pope in more than two decades. The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday that Pope Francis has accepted the invitation.
The country’s Christian community expressed happiness over the Modi-Pope meeting and the Pope’s future visit to India. The RSS also welcomed the meeting and said that it believes in the principle of ‘Vasudhav Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family).
The foreign ministry said the pope accepted the invitation and said it was his greatest gift. Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said, “The Pope has humbly accepted PM Modi’s invitation. And in his own words and I am going to explain it, he said that you have given me the greatest gift. I want to come to India.” I’m curious.”