PM Modi's "Tukde-Tukde Gang" Swipe At Congress In Karnataka

In a blistering attack on the Congress during his last campaign rally ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the party of openly advocating for "separating" Karnataka from India.

He alleged that the "disease" of the "tukde-tukde gang" had reached the Congress's top level.

"When it comes to working against India's interests, Congress's 'royal family' will be at the forefront. I want to speak about a serious issue here, I want to say it as there is a lot of pain in my heart. This country can never forgive such a game. This family, to influence the politics in the country, is encouraging foreign forces to interfere," PM Modi claimed.

Addressing a public meeting in Mysuru district, he accused the Congress of secretly meeting foreign diplomats who hate India and repeatedly indulging in activities that insult India's sovereignty, and said they were not ashamed of it.

Stating that in this Karnataka election, Congress's 'shahi parivar' had gone a step ahead, "breaking all the limits and crushing the feelings of the country", PM Modi said, "Not only Karnataka, I want to tell this to the entire country with a lot of pain that in this election Congress's 'shahi parivar' yesterday came to Karnataka and said that they want to protect the 'sovereignty' of Karnataka.

"Karnataka's sovereignty, you know what is the meaning of it? They have sat in Parliament for so many years, they have taken oath on India's Constitution, and they say this... When a country becomes independent, that country is called a sovereign country. The meaning of what Congress is saying is that the Congress believes that Karnataka is separate from India," he claimed.

Asking the people whether they approved of it or would they punish Congress for such a statement, the Prime Minister claimed that it meant the Congress was openly advocating for separating Karnataka from India.

"I had never thought that the disease of the 'tukde-tukde gang' would reach the Congress's top level," he said, accusing the party of insulting Kannada fighters who fought for India's independence and insulting the patriotism of crores of Kannadigas.

Noting that this was the land where 'Rashtra Kavi' Kuvempu had said Karnataka was an integral part of India, with lines in the state anthem "Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate Jaya he Karnataka Maate", Modi said, "For every Kannadiga, Karnataka is a mother and she has been described as the daughter of 'Bharat Ma'. I can feel the feelings of Kannadigas." Insulting the feelings of Karnataka was like insulting the "culture and pride" of the state, he added.

Further accusing the Congress of creating a rift between the states and spreading "communal fire", the Prime Minister claimed that whenever the party did such things, the people of India united to defeat them.

Congress wanted to "somehow come to power in Karnataka" to get "political oxygen", he said, adding that "people here can never forgive them for this sin...Congress will get the response for this on May 10 with full strength." He urged the people to vote for BJP to make Karnataka number one among states.

After the rally, PM Modi said he was visiting the famous Srikanteshwara temple here dedicated to Lord Shiva and connected to the mythological context of 'Vishapaan' (Shiva drinking venom), PM Modi said, "The way Congress abused me in Karnataka and poured venom on me, Lord Srikanteshwara gave me the strength to bear it." Thanking the people for the blessings and affection they showed him during campaigning in Karnataka, calling it his biggest asset, he said it was his last programme in this election campaign and after it he would leave for Delhi.

"I'm ending my campaign here. Now you take the baton," he said, as he urged people to vote on May 10 and exercise their franchise.

PM Modi later visited the Srikanteshwara temple.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)