'Shehzada' vs 'shahidzada': Modi, Cong trade barbs over Rahul

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted his government's surgical and air strikes had shaken Pakistan, and the neighbouring country's leaders are now praying that the Congress “shehzada” becomes India's PM.

Modi, addressing a poll rally in Palamu, took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without taking his name, and said Pakistan might want him as prime minister, but India wants “a strong country with a strong PM”.

Objecting to the language used by Modi, the Congress said that Rahul Gandhi is actually “shahidzada (martyr's son)" and not “shehzada” (crown prince).

While campaigning for the BJP candidate of Palamu, Modi said, "Maa Bharati's disrespect won't be tolerated anymore. New India's surgical and air strikes shook Pakistan, which was known for supporting terror attacks on India during the Congress regime."

Earlier, Congress-led governments were "helpless" after any terror attack on the country, he claimed.

“But this new India knows how to enter enemy territory and strike... Shaken by the surgical and air strikes, leaders in Pakistan are now praying that the Congress ‘shehzada' becomes PM of India... But, our strong nation wants a strong government and leader," Modi said.

The situation is such now that Pakistan is “seeking help from the world to save the nation”, the PM said.

He urged the electorate to recognise the importance of one vote, “which contributed to building the Ram Temple after generations struggled for 500 years, as well as the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir...The entire world saluated the power of democracy in India."

Modi also said he will not allow any "design" of the Congress to succeed in changing the constitution for providing reservations to Muslims.

“Congress and the India bloc want to usurp your land. They want to snatch quotas for SC, ST and OBCs and provide reservations to Muslims by altering the Constitution. Till I am alive, I will not now allow any such design of the Congress to succeed,” he asserted.

Modi said 25 crore people came out of poverty in the last 10 years of the NDA government.

The prime minister claimed that the Congress' ‘shehzada' was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, while he (Modi) lived and lived a poor man's life.

“The Congress never bothered for the welfare of people. I crafted schemes for the poor during the past 10 years based on my own experiences. Those who have not seen their mothers cough due to smoke when cooking, quench hunger with water and sleeping on empty stomach will not understand Modi's tears," the PM said.

“There has been no blot of corruption on me in the past about 25 years as chief minister and prime minister. I don't own a home or even a bicycle... but corrupt JMM and Congress leaders amassed huge wealth for their children,” he said.

Hailing tribal icon Birsa Munda, Modi said it is his promise to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Munda as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh' and added that it was his fortune that he became the country's first PM to visit Munda's birth place Ulihatu.

He said: "In my third term as PM, I will convert all Katccha houses into Pakka ones; It is Modi's guarantee" and added that Congress has cast an evil eye on your property.
Modi alleged that the Congress would snatch people's assets like gold, silver, land, house and even mangalsutra and give them to its vote bank.

"They want to snatch and loot SC/ST/OBC reservations and provide it to Muslims by altering the constitution," he said.

Later, addressing a rally at Jharkhand's Gumla he said the NDA government has “unmasked” corrupt forces, and all those who indulged in corruption would face action under law in the next five years.

Hitting out at jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren without taking his name, Modi said leaders of the Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc take out rallies in support of the corrupt.

"In the next five years, all those who indulged in corruption will face legal action," he said at a poll rally in Gumla's Sisai.

Modi also blamed Congress for the “backwardness” of tribal districts, alleging that food grains used to rot in godowns during the UPA regime from 2004 to 2014, while tribal children died due to starvation.

“No force on the earth can stop free ration delivery to the poor, this is Modi's guarantee,” the prime minister asserted.

Modi said the NDA government ensured that the poor get access to the internet, “which was meant only for rich people during the Congress rule”.

The PM also slammed the Congress for not taking any action against Maoists “to preserve the party's vote bank”.

"Banned organisations like PFI in Santhal Parganas are spreading their tentacles and running rackets while indulging in atrocities against tribal women, looting their land," he said.

Congress's contribution to the country in the past six decades is dynastic politics, corruption and appeasement, he alleged.
Resonding to Modi's comments, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir said, “The PM refers Rahul Gandhi as shehzada whereas the people know that he is a shahidzada."

The ruling JMM in Jharkhand also wrote a letter to the ECI objecting to “use of unparliamentary language” by Modi and demanded action.