Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress saying there is a competition going on in the main opposition party to abuse him. The Prime Minister was apparently referring to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's recent 'Ravan' jibe at him that has triggered a bitter political row and a war of words between the two mainstream parties.


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The Prime Minister said that the Congress leaders are fighting among themselves over who can use the most abusive words against him. The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a poll rally in Kalol town of Panchmahal district in Gujarat on Thursday during which he said, "There is a competition among Congress leaders as to who will use the most abusive words for Modi." 


 



 


"Those who never believed in the existence of Lord Ram have now brought in (demon king) 'Ravan' from Ramayana. And, I am surprised they never expressed repentance, forget about tendering an apology, after using such cuss words for me," the PM said.


It may be noted that Kharge had on Monday spared a row by saying, “the prime minister asks people to vote looking at his face in all elections. Are you a 100-headed like Ravan."


Kharge said this while addressing a rally in the Behrampura area of Ahmedabad city on Monday. Before Kharge, another senior Congress leader - Madhusudan Mistry - had recently said that PM Modi will be shown his "aukat", triggering a bitter political row. 


BJP had strongly objected to Kharge's Ravana jibe at PM Modi and the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra charged that Congress top leaders have insulted PM Modi time and again. "Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ravana is a grave insult to every Gujarati and it is an insult which is rubbed into every Gujarati which only reflects the mentality of the party (Congress)," Patra said. 


"Sonia Gandhi who was the chief of the Congress had addressed PM Modi as a merchant of death (maut ka saudagar). Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay had wished PM Modi to die Hitler`s death," he said. 


Patra also asked the voters in Gujarat to do "100 per cent voting for the son of the soil" PM Modi to take "revenge" in a democratic manner for the "insult", as he invoked various objectionable remarks made by Congress members over the years against the Prime Minister. The Congress has denigrated the post of prime minister, he added, holding that PM Modi is now recognised as a global leader by countries around the world.  


The war of words over Kharge’s Ravana jibe at PM comes at a time when votes are being cast in 89 seats for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022 amid tight security. The remaining 93 seats, including Kalol, will go to polls in the second phase on December 5. A total of 39 political parties are contesting in the elections and have fielded 788 candidates including 718 male candidates and 70 women candidates.


All top political parties including the ruling BJP, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and Congress have made the assembly election very interesting this time by making big poll promises to over 2 crore voters which will cast their votes in 89 constituencies spread across 19 districts of Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat till 5 PM today.