PM recites laundry list of abuses poured on him by Cong men

Bhabhar/Ahmedabad: 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 tomorrow.

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 yesterday 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.