New Delhi [India], June 27 : Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday criticised Sharmishtha Mukherjee's recent article on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an English daily, saying the focus should be on pressing public issues such as the alleged NEET paper leak, farmers' distress and unemployment rather than discussions on '2014'.
Speaking to ANI, Khera said debates over who remained Prime Minister and for how long were irrelevant in the current context.
"What irrelevant issues are these! NEET exam paper is being leaked, people are being killed, farmers are weeping, and youth is on the streets. But she is thinking about 2014. It doesn't matter who remained PM for how long. What matters is what did the person do after becoming the PM. People are not judged by the years you put in service. What have you contributed? NEET? Suicide by children? Suicide by farmers?" Khera said.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla defended Sharmishtha Mukherjee's article, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President Pranab Mukherjee shared a warm relationship despite political differences.
"PM has always shown great regard and respect for the experience and talent that Pranab Mukherjee had. Pranab Mukherjee was also gracious enough to always acknowledge that Prime Minister Modi was a generational politician and leader which India had not seen for many decades," Poonawalla said.
He further said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Modi were the only leaders who enjoyed a direct popular mandate for the post of Prime Minister.
"The only two leaders whose popularity and demand for becoming Prime Minister, directly elected by the people, were Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Modi. Therefore, his assessment is absolutely correct and PM Modi represents this Triveni Sangam of Seva, Sushasan and Samarpan," he added.