New Delhi, June 27 (Agencies): The criticism of Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan was “inappropriate”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday, without naming his Bharatiya Janata Party’s lawmaker whose salvos may have prompted Rajan not to offer himself for a second term.

Calling Rajan “no less patriotic”, Modi said if anybody considers himself above the system, “it is wrong.”

Subramanian Swamy, the BJP leader who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April, had made a series of critical comments about Rajan’s handling of the economy and even his loyalty to the country, sparking speculation about Rajan’s continuation after his term ends in September.

Initially, Rajan sought to dismiss such talk. But, on June 18, he made public his decision not to offer himself for a second term.

Modi, in an interview to Times Now television channel, said: “Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate.”

“This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong,” Modi said.

Modi went on to praise Rajan, saying that his patriotism was no less and was sure that he would continue to serve India irrespective of whether he was in some position or not.

“My experience with him has been good and I appreciate the work that he has done. He is no less patriotic. He loves India. Wherever he will work, he will work for India and he is patriotic,” he said in an apparent riposte to Swamy's attack that Rajan not is “mentally fully Indian”.

Modi pointed out that when his BJP government came to power in mid-2014, there was speculation for months that Rajan would be asked to go since he had been appointed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance swept out by Modi.

“They said I would not allow him to continue (as RBI Governor). So it was proved wrong,” Modi said.

Replying to a question on whether the logjam in Parliament has held him back from achieving his objectives, Modi singled out Congress, asserting that the government tried to have talks with the parties on every issue.

”There is one party which has problem and the whole world knows about that party,” said Modi, adding it was unfair to compare BJP's behaviour when it was in opposition to what Congress was doing as opposition after running the country for 60 years.

He said many parties though they were not part of the National Democratic Alliance have been supporting the government on various issues and it would be unfair to blame the entire Opposition for Parliamentary logjam.

Modi’s government does not have the numbers in Parliament to push through critical pieces of legislation.