New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday criticised the comments made by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, regarding the cognitive abilities of outgoing US President Joe Biden. Addressing a rally in Maharashtra on November 16, Gandhi reportedly compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the outgoing US president, saying Modi might be experiencing “memory loss,” a comment widely interpreted as a reference to Biden.
Responding to the remarks during a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed disappointment and called the comments “unfortunate” and inconsistent with the strong and amicable relationship shared between India and the United States.
‘Remarks undermine India-US partnership’
“India shares a multifaceted partnership with the United States, and this partnership has been built over years of perseverance, togetherness, mutual respect and commitment by both sides. We see such reports as remarks as unfortunate, and they’re not in keeping with warm and friendly ties with the United States and do not represent the position of the government of India,” Jaiswal said.
Doctors demand apology
A group of medical professionals recently called for a public apology from Rahul Gandhi over his remarks concerning US President Joe Biden. In a letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president and Rahul Gandhi’s mother, CB Tripathi, All India President of the National Medicos Organisation (NMO-Bharat), criticised the comments. Tripathi said that Gandhi’s remarks demonstrated a “lack of sensitivity” and reinforced “harmful stereotypes about ageing and cognitive health.”
The practitioners further called the remarks as “unbecoming” of a Leader of Opposition and highlighted a perceived “lack of understanding and sensitivity.” They warned that such statements could perpetuate misinformation and negatively influence public perceptions, potentially affecting the treatment and support for people facing genuine health challenges.
