Beni does it again, calls Modi a monster

Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, who has been censured by the Election Commission for his insulting remarks against Narendra Modi, has stoked a fresh controversy by comparing the BJP prime ministerial candidate to a "monster".

"A person, who discriminates between Hindu and Muslim in this country and create hatred between them, is not a human being, but a monster," the Congress leader said addressing an election rally in Maskanwa town in Gondiya on Friday night.

"Modi must tell whether he is a human being or not. On the massacre of the people in Gujarat you (Modi) say that it's a reaction. You tease Muslims by stating that even if a puppy comes under you vehicle you feel sad," he said.

The EC had two days back censured Beni for 'insulting' remarks against Modi and warned that further violation could result in banning his campaign activity.

Beni said a person like Modi is an "enemy" of the country and democracy.

"If such a person comes to power then self respect of 85 per cent downtrodden people of the country will end and dominance of handful persons will prevail in the society," he alleged.

The minister said Modi talks about Congress-free India but "even Britishers could not remove Congress, how will BJP do that".

Beni said Congress was the party of the entire nation, whereas BJP was the party of only one-fourth of the country.

The Union steel minister also took a dig at the Gujarat chief minister's educational qualification, saying, "I am a law graduate from Lucknow University and Modi ran away from his house at the age of 18 to sell tea. His degree is fake. How is he going to compete with an educated person."

On being asked about Baba Ramdev's comment against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Beni said the yoga guru has gone "mad" and he won't comment on him.