India, Feb. 12 -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his "sold Bharat Mata" remark, accusing the Congress-led UPA government of compromising national interests during its tenure.

Replying to the debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said it was the Congress, not the current government, that had "sold the country" and weakened India's global standing.

Referring to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's remarks, she added, "Not a single person has been born till date who can sell India. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never do such a thing."

Sharm el-Sheikh reference

The finance minister cited the 2009 Sharm el-Sheikh...