New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for what he called an insult to India's rajas and maharajas, but remained silent on the atrocities committed by nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics.
The Congress hit back, saying Prime Minister Modi is “maliciously distorting” every statement made by Mr Gandhi to inflame the prejudices and passions of the community.
At successive rallies in Belagavi, Sirsi, Davangere and Hosapete in Karnataka, Prime Minister Modi continued his attack on the Congress over the 'inheritance tax' issue and targeted the party government in Karnataka on law and order, corruption and development issues .
“The BJP is working to increase the wealth of the people, but Congress's Shehzada and his sister both announce that if they come to power, they will x-ray the country,” PM Modi said.
“They will x-ray your properties, bank lockers, lands, vehicles, also streedhan and women's jewellery, gold, the mangalsutra. These people will raid every house and confiscate your belongings. After looting, they are talking about redistribution of it, they want it to be given to their beloved vote bank… will you allow this loot to happen?” Prime Minister Modi said.
“I want to warn the Congress,” he said, “Abandon this intention. Until Modi is alive, I will not allow it…”
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh hit back at Prime Minister Modi, saying the Prime Minister has “gone beyond being pathetic”.
“He is maliciously and mischievously distorting every statement of Rahul Gandhi to incite, inflame and inflame communal prejudices and passions,” Mr Ramesh said in a post on microblogging website X. “His (PM Modi) departure is inevitable and his realization of this is what makes him more and more desperate. His campaign speeches are actually embarrassing,” Ramesh said.
The Congress today also attacked the BJP over Home Minister Amit Shah's quota comments in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the Modi government has used privatization as a 'weapon' to reduce reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Weaken Scheduled Tribes (ST) and other backward tribes. Classes (OBC) in the last 10 years.
The Congress claimed that the secret behind the BJP's '400 pairs' slogan is that this time they will try to end reservations.
The Congress attack came after Mr Shah said at a rally in UP that the BJP will neither withdraw reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs nor allow anyone to do so, calling it a “Modi guarantee” .
Five of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are underway. The votes will be counted on June 4.