Neemuch/Ujjain/Khandwa (MP): Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that cloud cover “helped” IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the Balakot air strikes.
Addressing an election rally ahead of the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also said Modi has insulted his family during the campaign but he won’t ever speak ill of the PM’s parents.
At a rally in Neemuch, Gandhi made a veiled reference to the PM’s interaction with actor Akshay Kumar in which Modi revealed he loved mangoes as a child and still loves them.
Gandhi said Modi talked about cloud cover “helping” IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the air strikes and about climbing trees and eating mangoes. “Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear from the radar,” he said.
“Clouds and mangoes are being talked about but nothing is being said on issues that matter,” Gandhi said. He sought to know what did Modi do for the jobless youth.
“Modi ji, you taught (us) how to eat mangoes; now tell the country what you did for the jobless youth,” he said.
At a rally in Ujjain, Gandhi said Modi insulted his father and grandmother during the ongoing election campaign but he will never speak ill of the latter’s parents.
He the Congress would defeat Modi “with love”.
“Modi ji talks with hatred. He insults my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult his mother and father.
“This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me…We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you,” he said.
“Modi ji talks with hatred…he insulted my father, grandmother and great grandfather…I will die, but not insult Modi ji’s mother and father,” he said.
At a rally in Khandwa, Gandhi targeted Modi on the Rafale deal, adding the “chowkidar” committed theft in it and is therefore unable to speak on corruption.
Gandhi said Modi has not responded to his challenge for an open debate on alleged corruption in the Rafale deal for fear of getting exposed.
“Modi will not be able to show his face to the countrymen even just after 15 minutes of debate with me,” Gandhi said. “The chowkidar is a thief and is frightened since he will be exposed in the debate. He will not be able to show his face to the country,” Gandhi said.
PTI