Ahmedabad:
Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi today attacked Congress vice-president
Rahul Gandhi's idea of India as a "beehive", saying he was shocked that someone could describe 'mother India' in this way.
"I happened to listen to a speech by a Congress leader two days back, whose words are considered to be very important for that party. I was deeply shocked and pained when he compared India to beehive," Mr Modi said in Ahmedabad during the celebration of 33rd foundation day of BJP.
(Read: Highlights of Modi's speech)"For you, this might be a beehive but for us this country is our mother. Hundred crore people of this country are our brothers and sisters. This is a sacred land of saints and seers. Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say every particle of this land is Lord Shankar for us," Mr Modi said.
"Friends from Congress, please do not insult our country. If you do not understand the language of people of India, go and learn from somewhere. But due to your ignorance, do not try to destroy the culture and tradition of this country," the Gujarat Chief Minister added.
BJP president
Rajnath Singh, the only central leader whom Mr Modi had invited, too was present on the occasion.
"I never pay attention to speeches of any leaders as they are not worth listening to but when they try to play with our feelings we are pained," Mr Modi went on to say, addressing the huge gathering of party workers at Sardar Patel stadium.
At his recent speech at a function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry or CII in Delhi, Mr Gandhi, while comparing India and China, said that while China is described as dragon and India as an elephant, India was really a beehive.
"I want to tell my Congress friends that your arrogance of being in power in Delhi is not going to survive for long," Mr Modi said today.
Last month, party president Rajnath Singh had singled Mr Modi out to become the only Chief Minister on the BJP's parliamentary board - a group of the party's top 12 decision makers. Today he declared the Gujarat Chief Minister as "the most popular leader of the country". (
Read)
His statement is being seen as further indication that Mr Modi, whom many in the BJP favour as a prime ministerial candidate, will be playing a major role in the 2014 general elections.
(Read: Modi will be Congress's 'yamraj', says BJP)Mr Modi also promised that there will be no let-up in his hardwork for "Bharat Mata (Mother India)".
"Forget about the Congress ever reforming itself for it can never reform.... the kind of language they are using, and the way they are misleading the people," Mr Modi said, reacting to Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi's statement describing him as "Yamraj (God of death)".
He also claimed that BJP is one of the rare parties which came to power at the Centre in its "youth". In an interesting comparison, he said Britain's Labour Party had taken 80 years since its formation to achieve this. (
Read: No need to be sorry for Ayodhya movement, says Advani)
The newfound bonhomie between Mr Modi and BJP President Rajnath Singh was also visible on the stage with the Gujarat Chief Minister describing the latter as his "
margadarshak (guide)". Mr Singh dubbed Modi the most popular BJP leader in the country.
Mr Singh also targeted the Congress for its attacks on Mr Modi, saying, "It pains us when he is called merchant of death. Though he has taught the Congress a lesson in the elections, it is not mending its ways. Now they have called him Yamraj. We will not respond to this. The people will teach them a lesson."
(Watch: Entire party united, says Rajnath Singh)