Modi lists 'abuses' by Congress leaders; says Aiyar gave his 'supari' in Pak

'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,' the PM said.

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

At a campaign rally at Bhabhar town earlier in the day, he also accused 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, Lohu-purush, 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', 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', Modi said.

"The Congress's work culture was 'atkana' (stalling), 'latkana' (to keep issues pending) and 'bhatkana' (diverting issues)," Modi said.

Aiyar set off a huge controversy on Thursday when he called Modi a 'neech kism ka aadmi'. The Congress suspended him from primary membership and issued a show-cause notice.

Modi sought to connect 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," 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' (cultivating 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," Modi said.

At an earlier rally in the small town of Bhabbar in Banaskantha district in North Gujarat, Modi took on Aiyar for a statement made in Pakistan.

"Shriman Mani Shankar Aiyar....you know what he did?" 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?" 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 (the Congress) will know the result on December 18," he said.

"But, after I became prime minister, this man (Aiyar) went to Pakistan and met some Pakistanis. All this is available on social media. In that meeting, he is seen discussing with Pakistanis that 'jab tak Modi ko raste se hataya nahi jata' (until Modi is not removed from the way), relations between India and Pakistan cannot improve," Modi said.

"Someone tell me what is the meaning of 'raste se hatana'. You had gone to Pakistan to give my 'supari', you wanted to give Modi's 'supari' (contract to eliminate)," the PM said.

"However, people need not worry, as 'Maa Ambe' (goddess Ambe) is protecting me," he added.

"This conversation took place three years back. The Congress party had tried to suppress this episode...They did not take any action against him for three years," Modi said.

"What is my crime? This country's people have elected me in a democratic way, and you go to Pakistan and say that this man is coming in the way and remove him!" he said.

Aiyar, at a talk show in Pakistan in 2015, had reportedly made the controversial statement.

On Thursday, during a rally in Surat, Modi alleged that Aiyar referred to his caste by using the word 'neech'.

During the rally here today, Modi also said that when the soldiers conducted a surgical strike across the Line of Control, 'all the people of the country felt proud, but only Congress was not happy'.

"They raised questions about the surgical strike -- did this happen or not? Pakistan is saying that it did not happen... why none of our soldiers were killed...Would you believe Pakistan or India in such matters?" Modi asked.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi garlanded by BJP workers during a rally in Gandhinagar on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo