File image of Rahul Gandhi. ANI

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said fisherfolk need an independent fisheries ministry and not just a department within a ministry, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swipe at him.

At a public meeting in Puducherry, the prime minister expressed shock over Gandhi’s statement last week that there was no “dedicated” fisheries ministry. At the time, BJP leaders, including Union ministers, had also taken a swipe at Gandhi.

Responding to the prime minister’s swipe, Gandhi tweeted, “Dear PM, Fisherfolk need an independent and dedicated ministry of fisheries, not just a department within a ministry.”

Dear PM,

Fisherfolk need an independent and dedicated ministry of fisheries, not just a department within a ministry.

PS- “Hum do Humare do” obviously hurt bad.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 25, 2021

“PS- ”Hum do Humare do” obviously hurt bad,” he said referring to the jibe he had used against the government recently to allege that it is being run by Modi and his “corporate friends”.

Modi, in his remarks in Puducherry, said, “Congress leaders say we will make a fisheries ministry. I was shocked. The truth is, it is the current NDA government that had made a ministry for fisheries in 2019.”

In 2019, the Modi government had formed a Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

In a separate tweet, Gandhi also attacked the government over a media report claiming that the government has started clearing foreign direct investment proposals from China on a case-by-case basis. Gandhi said, “China has understood that Mr Modi buckles under their pressure. They now know they can get whatever they want from him.”

In another tweet, Gandhi also attacked the government over the issue of employment and asked the government to create jobs for the youth.