Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slams PM Modi's diaspora outreach event 'Howdy, Modi'

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday indirectly hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diaspora outreach event 'Howdy, Modi' in Houston, Texas on Sunday, saying that the ongoing slowdown was a speed breaker in his government's claims of working towards making India a $5 trillion economy.

"Creating a media blitz by repeating $5 trillion everyday and managing headlines will not trigger economic reforms. Sponsored events in foreign countries do not bring investors. Investors have lost faith. Economic investment has lost ground," tweeted Ms Gandhi Vadra without taking the name of the 'Howdy Modi!' event.

"The BJP government is not accepting the truth. This economic slowdown is a speed breaker in the path of becoming an economic superpower. Without corrective measures, all the show-off is worthless," she further tweeted.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal too questioned the logic of organising publicity extravaganzas outside the country. "If 'Howdy Modi' is being held out of India, then it should take place here as well. Modi should have an event like 'Howdy Modi!' in the rural areas of the country and the people will tell him what they are facing."

"He organises such extravaganzas for both internal and external consumption, these don't result in prosperity for ordinary people here, they are only for publicity," said Mr Sibal.

The White House had confirmed that US President Trump will be making a joint appearance with PM Modi at the Houston event.