New Delhi, May 11 (IANS): In the wake of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s recent comment advocating that India treat its arch-rival Pakistan with respect, BJP leader Amit Malviya on Saturday took a swipe at the grand old party and posted World Bank figures showing how the neighbouring country outdid India in providing electricity to its citizens because of the Congress’ misrule.

Taking to his X handle, Malviya posted, “This one indicator is enough to know how badly the Congress ran India.

“Till 2018, a higher percentage of Pakistan had electricity than India!

"Yes… till 2018. No wonder likes of Mani Shankar Aiyar advocated that we treat Pakistan with respect.”

He also shared the World Bank statistics showing access to electricity in India and Pakistan through the years.

The graph showed that at the start of the decade in 2000, a higher percentage of Pakistan's population had access to electricity, standing at 72.8 per cent, while India stood at 60.3 per cent.

The statistics show marked improvement in the power situation in India from 2017 onwards as India’s supply of electricity far outstripped that of Pakistan.

Pointing out the disparity, Malviya noted a significant shift in 2018, with India surpassing Pakistan, with access to electricity reaching 95.7 per cent, while Pakistan stood at 93.4 per cent, and wrote, "Pakistan is now a basket case, India has surged ahead."

He criticised the former Congress government and attributed India's lower electricity access to poor governance.

The gaffe by the Congress leader and former Cabinet minister came at a time when the grand old party was still reeling under the impact of the remarks made by the former head of its overseas wing Sam Pitroda in the midst of Lok Sabha elections in India.

Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Friday that India must show Pakistan the respect a sovereign country deserves and advised against the use of a muscular policy against it since it has an atom bomb.