No worshipper of ‘Shakti’ will forgive INDIA bloc: PM

Pilibhit (UP)/Chennai: As the Navratri festival commences on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country should remember how the INDIA bloc “has taken a vow to destroy Shakti” and those who worship the Goddess will never forgive the Congress and its allies.

Nine forms of Goddess Durga or Shakti are worshipped during the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival.

“Today, on the first day of Navratri, I am also reminding the country how the INDI alliance has vowed to destroy ‘Shakti’. The ‘Shakti’ before which we bow our heads, the leaders of the Congress are speaking about uprooting that ‘Shakti’,” Modi said at an election rally, again targeting the Opposition over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘fight against Shakti’ remarks.

Throughout the election campaign, Modi and the BJP have been labelling the Congress and the Opposition alliance as “anti-Hindu”. They have consistently criticised them for Rahul Gandhi’s comments, the DMK leaders’ remarks against Sanatan Dharma, and their absence from the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.

In response, the Opposition accused the ruling party of resorting to communal polarisation due to their lack of achievements.

Modi praised Pilibhit’s land, blessed by Mother Yashwantri Devi and the birthplace of Adi Ganga Maa Gomti. He condemned the Congress for insulting the ‘Shakti’ worshipped nationwide and warns that no devotee of ‘Shakti’ will forgive the INDIA alliance for this affront.

During an INDIA bloc rally in Mumbai last month, Rahul Gandhi stated, “In Hinduism, there is a term called ‘Shakti’... We are battling against a ‘Shakti’.” He later accused Modi of misinterpreting his words.

Gandhi clarified that the ‘Shakti’ he referred to represents a power that has seized control of India’s voice, institutions, media, industry, and the entire constitutional structure. He identified this power as unrighteousness, corruption, and falsehood, not a religious power. He added that his Opposition to this power angers Modi and his propaganda machine.

Later on Tuesday evening, PM Modi again targeted the Congress and DMK over the Katchatheevu issue, saying its ‘surrender’ shows the complicity of the two parties in harming the country’s strategic interests.

He also took a swipe at the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, alleging that it was ‘busy’ furthering corruption.

“For years, DMK took votes from the people of Chennai but did nothing much for the city. DMK is busy furthering corruption and family rule. Their MPs are not accessible to the people, particularly whenever the times are challenging,” he said in a post on ‘X,’ after completing a 2-km roadshow here, ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha polls.

“The recent public information on the Katchatheevu surrender point to how Congress and DMK were complicit in harming our strategic interests and the well-being of our fishermen and fisherwomen. No wonder this time, Chennai is all set to reject DMK and Congress,” he said.