India on Saturday termed as "crude" and "unparliamentary" the remarks of US Congressman Tom Lantos against External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh during a house hearing.

"The language used by Congressman Lantos while referring to India's foreign minister during a Congressional hearing is, to say the least, unparliamentary," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

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"It is discourteous and crude and reflects negatively only on the US Congressman himself," he added.

Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on International Affairs, had criticised Natwar Singh for reportedly saying he was against the Iranian nuclear issue being referred to the United Nations Security Council.