New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI): Citing the Global Hunger Index, Rahul Gandhi has attacked the government in a veiled manner, evoking a sharp reaction from Union minister Smriti Irani who said the Congress vice president was out to "malign" the nation in his bid to run down Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi tweeted a news report on the Global Hunger Index along with a Hindi couplet by poet Dushyant Kumar which read: "bhookh hai to sabr kar, roti nahi to kya hua, aajkal dilli mein hai zer-e-behas yeh mudda (if you are hungry, be patient, what if bread is not available, the issue is being discussed in Delhi."

Irani, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Textiles, responded to Gandhi's tweet in a similar fashion.

"Ae satta ki bhookh, sabr kar, aankde sath nahi to kya, khudgarzon ko jama kar, mulk ki badnami ka shor toh macha hi lenge (hey hunger for power, be patient, what if you don't have the numbers, you can collect selfish people, noise can be made to malign the country)," she wrote.

In another tweet, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, "Not surprising that in his keenness to run down Hon PM, Rahul Gandhi maligns the Nation."

Along with this tweet, Irani posted a statement by Health Minister J P Nadda which read: "Facts vs Fiction on Global Hunger Index to enlighten people who are keen to run down our country by twisting facts."