Gandhinagar, June 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben on Wednesday issued a statement marking her dissent against Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel who claimed the PM is "unmarried".

Jashodaben said Modi had "indeed married" her and has mentioned the same in his declaration before the polling officials ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Jashodaben also appealed Anandiben Patel against spreading misinformation, saying such baseless statements is "unbecoming" of a leader like her.

In a statement read out from her brother Ashok Modi's mobile phone from from their hometown Unjha in north Gujarat, Jashodaben said: "I am surprised over Anandiben telling the press that Narendra bhai was not married (to her). He has himself mentioned in his declaration while filing papers for Lok Sabha elections in 2014 that he is married and mentioned my name in it."

Jashodaben further added that Anandiben's remarks have "tarnished the image" of PM Modi. "He is very respectable for me, he is Ram for me," she quipped.

The controversy erupted earlier in the week, when Anandiben, while speaking to anganwadi workers in Madhya Pradesh's Harda district, said, "The Prime Minister is unmarried, yet he understands the pain of women and children".

Jashodaben's brother Ashok, while speaking to IANS, said their family was compelled to issue a rejoinder to the press as the statements of Anandiben were blatantly incorrect.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 20, 2018 10:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).