New Delhi: Hitting out at Haryana minister Anil Vij for his controversial remark that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is better brand than Mahatma Gandhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the dictators Hitler and Mussolini were also very powerful brands.

The Congress vice president took to Twitter to chastise the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Haryana for his comments that drew widespread criticism, even his party condemning the statement. “Hitler and Mussolini were also very powerful brands," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

Vij on Saturday told reporters that it was good that the image of Mahatma Gandhi has been replaced with that of Prime Minister in the calendar and diary of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) as Modi is a “better brand" and went on to add that Gandhi’s image would be removed gradually from the currency notes too.

Asked about the controversy over Modi’s photo on KVIC calender and diary, the five-time MLA from Ambala Cantt, said that Gandhiji’s name has no patent over Khadi. “Since Gandhi’s name has been attached with Khadi, it has only gone down. When Gandhi’s image was put on notes, the currency also got devalued," he had said.

Vij, however, later withdrew the remarks. “The statement given by me in connection with Mahatma Gandhi was given in my personal capacity. To avoid hurting anyone’s sentiments, I am withdrawing it," Vij tweeted.

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