Priyanka Gandhi Slams PM Modi Over 'Suicide Note' Joke

Source: PTI/IANS

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a joke made by him involving a suicide note, saying the PM and those laughing heartily at his joke ought to educate themselves better rather than “ridicule” mental health issues in an “insensitive” manner.

Prime Minister Modi, while speaking at a media channel conclave on Wednesday, narrated a joke about how a professor reading a suicide note by his daughter remarked how she had got a spelling wrong despite his efforts for so many years.

The joke was made by the prime minister while remarking that the editor-in-chief of the channel had started speaking well in Hindi.

Tagging the video of Modi’s joke at the conclave, Priyanka Gandhi in a tweet said, “Depression and suicide, especially among the youth IS NOT a laughing matter. According to NCRB data, 164033 Indians committed suicide in 2021. Of which a huge percentage were below the age of 30. This is a tragedy not a joke.”

“The Prime Minister and those laughing heartily at his joke ought to educate themselves better and create awareness rather than ridicule mental health issues in this insensitive, morbid manner,” the Congress general secretary said on Twitter and tagged PM Modi and ‘The Live Love Laugh Foundation’ that deals with mental health issues.

In related news, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also accused the BJP government in Karnataka of looting Rs 1.5 lakh crore during its tenure.

Addressing a huge public rally in Hanur town of Chamarajanagar, she claimed that the people’s money has reached residences of ministers and leaders, and the BJP has betrayed the trust and faith of people.

“If I had Rs 1.5 lakh crore, 100 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), 117 ESI hospitals, 750 km of Metro rail, 2,250 km of expressways, and 30 lakh houses could have been constructed. What happened to that money? It is at the residences of BJP leaders,” she alleged.

“BJP will talk differently before elections and afterwards, they forget. The BJP which had given hundreds of assurances, had they fulfilled them? Have the prices of ration become cheaper? Do you have good roads? Have you got good hospitals?” Priyanka Gandhi asked.

“People reposed faith in the Congress party. The trust of the people was retained by Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, Manmohan Singh. But, have the present leaders retained your trust?” she said.

“The PM of the country has got a friend… The farmer of the country earns Rs 27 per day. But, the friend of the PM earns lakhs of crores. The BJP government is insulting the self respect and culture of Karnataka. There is a conspiracy to merge known brand Nandini with some other brand and destroy the local farmers,” she alleged.

“We will strengthen Nandini. The assurances given in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh states have been fulfilled by our governments,” she claimed.

Priyanka Gandhi also participated in an interaction programme with women, with some calling her a replica of her grandmother and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Dr Parmeshwar and DK Shivakumar filed a complaint against Union Home Minster and BJP leader Amit Shah on Thursday for allegedly making “provocative statements, promoting enmity and hatred and maligning the opposition”. The complaint was lodged at Bengaluru’s High Ground Police Station, stating that Shah had made hateful and provocative statements.

“If the Congress comes to power, dynastic politics will be at an all-time high and Karnataka will be afflicted with riots,” the Home Minister had said addressing a rally in Karnataka’s Belagavi district on Tuesday. Shah had also said that Karnataka’s development will be on the “reverse gear” if the Congress forms the government there after the upcoming assembly elections.