Akluj (Maharashtra): Targeting Rahul Gandhi on his ‘why are all thieves named Modis’ remark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that the Congress chief, by making the jibe, had maligned the backward community he hails from.
Addressing a poll rally here, Modi also slammed the ‘dynastic politics’ of Sharad Pawar and claimed the National Congress Party (NCP) chief had ‘fled’ the poll arena from Madha Lok Sabha constituency as he sensed defeat.
“The Congress and its allies say that all Modis in the society are thieves. The Congress and its allies have not kept any shortcomings in abusing of my backward caste. This time they have crossed the limits and abused the entire backward society,” Modi told the gathering.
“The ‘naamdar’ (dynast) first tried ‘chowkidar chor hai’ (slogan). Now they are trying to defame a backward community (Modi community). Being from a backward community, I am used to the suffering. I am used to such bashing. Now, they are blaming the entire community while defaming me. If you dare to defame a community, I will not tolerate it,” Modi added.
Modi also wondered whether Pawar was family man or not. “Pawar has the right to speak against me or my family because he is elder to me. But then he is steeped in dynastic politics and his model is a ‘special family’ in Delhi,” Modi said, in a veiled reference to the Gandhis.
Like he has said in many other rallies, Modi also promised to set up a separate ‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry if voted to power again. A separate department will be made only for river connectivity and increasing irrigation facilities, Modi informed.
Modi also asserted that the future of both the Congress and the NCP doesn’t look either. “Confidence in Congress and NCP is on decline as they are not talking about their idea of India. Their only agenda is to dethrone Modi. They do not have any idea of increasing the importance of country globally,” Modi pointed out.