"Tarnishing country's image abroad is crime like treason...": Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Rahul Gandhi's statements in Washington DC

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 10 : Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a potshot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statements in Washington DC saying that tarnishing the country's image abroad is a crime like treason and no patriot can do this.
"Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and he is also accountable for the country. Going out of the country and tarnishing the country's image is a crime like treason, no patriot can do this. But Rahul ji seems to have become frustrated with the Congress after losing for the third time in a row and is venting his frustration out in America by spoiling the country's image," Chouhan told ANI on Tuesday.
"There is Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the country but when we go abroad, we only represent the country like former Prime Minister Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji used to do," he said.
The Union Minister also recalled his past visit to America and said that when asked about whether the then Prime Minister of India was an underachiever, he had answered that an Indian PM could never be an underachiever.
"When I also went to America once, Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister of India at that time. When I was asked a question there whether the Prime Minister of India is an underachiever, I answered that he is the Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of India can never be an underachiever. He is the leader of the country, this is the feeling of the country," Chouhan said.
Praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the union minister said that the sangh created a chain of lakhs of workers who dedicated their life to the country.
"What will you (referring to Rahul Gandhi) talk about RSS? The Sangh has created a chain of lakhs of workers who dedicate themselves and their lives to the country. The volunteers of the Sangh live every moment for the country, sacrificing themselves to build the country," he added.
"Rahul has rightly said one thing that no one is afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Yes, people are not afraid of PM Modi because people love him and that is why he has been made the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive time," Chouhan said.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi further, the union minister also said that the LoP was insulting the labourers and artisans of India.
"You (Rahul Gandhi) are insulting the labourers and artisans of India. You say that Everything that arrives here is made in China. Earlier, many things used to come from abroad after being imported, still they come if needed, but many things are now being made in India, a self-reliant India is being built under the leadership of PM Modi. It is because of PM Modi's leadership that India is the fifth largest economy in the world today and soon we will become the third largest economy across the globe," Chouhan said.
"Rahul Ji, you did the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but could not connect with India. You could not connect with Indian people, its culture, its life values and its traditions. No one becomes great with a small mind," he concluded.
Rahul Gandhi is on a visit to the United States. He will be in Washington for two days before departing to Delhi. Earlier in the day, he addressed the Indian diaspora in Virginia.
Gandhi, who arrived in Dallas on Sunday, also interacted with students and teachers at the University of Texas. He also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Dallas.