Rahul should keep country's dignity in mind while speaking on foreign soil: Shahnawaz

Hussain criticised Gandhi a day after the Congress president, in a news conference in Dubai, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "helping" Anil Ambani "steal Rs 30,000 crore" of the country.

In Dubai, Gandhi also reiterated his allegations that the prime minister shied away from defending himself personally in Lok Sabha on Rafale deal and fielded a woman - Defence Minister Nirmala Shitaraman - instead for it.

Gandhi also dubbed India as having become "intolerant" during the last four years under the BJP rule.

Speaking to reporters here, Hussain said, "Rahul Gandhi (in Dubai) made indecent remarks against Prime Minister Modi and said that intolerance in India has gone up in the past four years."

"The Congress president should have kept India's dignity in mind (while making statements). Terming India as intolerant is unfortunate," Hussain said.

"Rahul should keep in mind that on foreign soil, he is not speaking against the leader of a political party, but speaking against the prime minister of the country. Using such unfortunate words will hurt Indians," Hussain rued.

He added that "the people of the country will give a befitting reply to the Congress for using undignified language."

On a question over the SP-BSP alliance, Hussain said, "This alliance will not pose any challenge to the BJP. The result of the SP-BSP alliance will be similar to the SP-Congress alliance forged ahead of 2017 UP assembly elections. People had then rejected 'UP ke ladke' and 'UP ko yeh saath pasand hai' and reposed its faith on the prime minister."