'If I had gone and shook hands with Modi, a fatwa would have got issued against me. But when he (Rahul Gandhi) hugged Modi, Congressmen didn't utter a word,' AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said. (Photo: File)

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi took a potshot at the Congress President Rahul Gandhi and said had he shaken hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a fatwa would have got issued against him.

Hitting out at the Congress president, Owaisi further said, "No-confidence motion was moved against Modi and they (Congress) hug the same person against whom they moved the motion. If I had gone and shook hands with Modi, a fatwa would have got issued against me. But when he (Rahul Gandhi) hugged Modi, Congressmen didn't utter a word."

On July 20, Rahul had hogged headlines for his speech during the no-confidence motion debate moved by the unified Opposition in the Lok Sabha. During the debate, Rahul, to everyone's surprise, embraced PM Modi, walking over to the treasury benches.

Gandhi was later seen winking at party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Though, Rahul's gesture was hailed by his party leaders as "Jaadu ki Jhappi (magical hug)", the BJP ridiculed him saying he has started "chipko movement" in the Lok Sabha.