PM Modi Shares Laundry List Of Abuse By Congress

Ahmedabad: Continuing his attack on the Congress over Mani Shankar Aiyar's "neech" remark against him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually read out a laundry list of abuses poured on him by other Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and "her family members".

At a campaign rally at Bhabhar town earlier in the day, he also accused Mr Aiyar of giving "supari" (contract) while on a visit to Pakistan to get him "removed" from the way to improve bilateral ties.

"One after another, I was given unimaginable titles by Congress leaders. They called me snake, scorpion, chaiwala, neech, gutter worm, mad dog, impotent, Bhasmasur, monkey, Aurangzeb, mentally retarded, illiterate, Ravan, Yamraj and what not. Is this how you respect the democracy and elected CM or PM?" he said at another rally in Nikol area of Ahmedabad later.

He had to list these things as "some Congressmen are trying to show themselves clean by suspending Aiyar", PM Modi said, a day before parts of Gujarat go to the polls on Saturday.

He was mentioning only "10 per cent of the abuses hurled at me", PM Modi said.

"The Congress's work culture was 'atkana' (stalling), 'latkana' (to keep issues pending) and 'bhatkana' (diverting issues)," PM Modi said. Mr Aiyar set off a huge controversy on Thursday when he called PM Modi a "neech kism ka aadmi". The Congress suspended him from primary membership and issued a show-cause notice. PM Modi sought to connect Mr Aiyar's remarks with a bias against the poor, backward communities as well as Gujarat.

"You tell me, why I am 'neech'? Because I am born into a poor family? Or because I am born in a backward community? Or because of being a Gujarati?" the prime minister said.

"This is not the first time when Congress leaders have said I am 'neech'. Sonia Gandhi and her family members had used such words for me. They are doing this because they have a deep grudge against Gujarat and its people. Be it Sardar Patel, Morarji Desai or Modi," he said.

"Though I was an elected chief minister, Sonia-ben had said I am 'Maut Ka Saudagar' (merchant of death)," he said. "Rahul Gandhi, didn't you say after the surgical strike that the PM is doing 'khoon ki dalali' of Army jawans? "Anand Sharma, Congress spokesperson and former minister in Manmohan Singh Government, had said on November 27 that PM has lost his mental balance. Not just that, he said it is a national problem.

"You are using such languages because a chaiwala, a poor woman's son, a Gujarati is giving you a tough fight and you are unable to defeat him," PM Modi said.

"Digvijay Singh, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, crossed all limits by tweeting my photo and a message containing a highly derogatory remark for me, which I can't even utter," he said.

"Rahul Gandhi, your mother had said during elections that I am doing 'Zaher ki Kheti' (cultivation of poison) and made an appeal to people that I should not come to power. I never said anything then. But now, when you have opened that chapter again, you have to listen," he said.

"A Congress leader, Rashid Alvi, had said during a meeting of intellectuals that Modi is a stupid PM. Digvijay Singh had said there is a 'Rakshash Raj' in India. Another Congress leader, Pramod Tiwari said in Parliament that Modi comes fourth, after (Libyan dictator) Gaddafi, Mussolini and Hitler," the prime minister alleged.

"Earlier -- this leader who now said I am 'neech' -- when he was on Gujarat visit, had said I am Lohi Purush (blood man), not Loh Purush (Iron Man). He used various other adjectives for me, such as snake, scorpion, dirty person and a reincarnation of Ravan. These words were used for an elected CM and PM," he said.

"I was also referred to as a 'Bandar' (monkey) and 'Bhasmasur' by Congress leaders. Former minister Beni Prasad Verma said that Modi is a mad dog and they (Congress) would stop this mad dog from entering Parliament. A former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said I am Gangu Teli," he said.

"Congress leader Imran Masood said that Modi would be cut to pieces. Renuka Chaudhary said Modi is a virus, which causes 'Namonia'. Manish Tewari had even compared me with Dawood Ibrahim," PM Modi said.

At an earlier rally in the small town of Bhabbar in Banaskantha district in North Gujarat, PM Modi took on Aiyar for a statement made in Pakistan. "Shriman Mani Shankar Aiyar....you know what he did?" PM Modi asked the gathering. "He gave this 'gaali' (swear-word) to me or you? Did he abuse me or Gujarat? Did he abuse the cultured society of India or me?" PM Modi asked.

"Let us not talk about that abuse (`neech' word), as people of Gujarat will look into it and give a reply and they (Congress) will know the result on December 18," he said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)