The Congress on Monday hit back at Union minister Rajnath Singh for defending the presence of a lotus image on the G20 logo, saying the hand remains a "deep cultural symbol" in rural and tribal India but it would not justify the use of this symbol for government events if it was in power.

Hand is the Congress' party symbol.

Defence Minister Singh on Sunday had slammed those creating a row over the presence of flower's image on the G20 logo and said the lotus is not just a party symbol but connected to India's cultural identity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the logo on November 8. The Opposition Congress had accused the BJP of promoting its poll symbol - lotus.

Hitting back at Singh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Rajnath Singh-ji has been made to defend the use of the BJP's election symbol for the G20 logo on the grounds that the lotus is a cultural symbol of India."

"The hand as a symbol is the most antique going back to prehistoric paintings in India...the hand remains a deep cultural symbol in rural & tribal India. If the Congress was in power would it justify the use of this symbol for government events? Certainly not!" Ramesh said in a tweet.

Addressing a gathering after unveiling the statue of legendary warrior Prithviraj Chauhan in Haryana's Jhajjar, Singh had said that one is pained that a controversy is created around symbols of our country's culture and those connected with it's cultural identity.

Singh had asserted that lotus is the national flower and connected with India's cultural identity.

"On seeing lotus flower (on the logo), some people created a row. They said lotus flower is BJP's poll symbol. There is a limit of making accusations," he had said.

Presence of a lotus image on the G20 logo had sparked a political slugfest last week with the Congress accusing the BJP of promoting its poll symbol while the ruling party claiming its rival was denigrating India's national flower.?
?