28 April,2024 06:22 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
PM Modi. Pic/PTI
The Congress on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "insulted maharajas but silent on atrocities of sultans" attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying that PM Modi "maliciously twists" every statement of Rahul Gandhi to inflame communal prejudices and passions, reported the ANI.
The opposition party's remarks came after PM Modi on Sunday reportedly accused Rahul Gandhi of insulting India's rajas and maharajas but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics, as per the ANI.
Hitting back at the prime minister, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, "He (PM Modi) maliciously and mischievously twists every statement of Rahul Gandhi to inflame, incite and ignite communal prejudices and passions."
"His (PM Modi's) exit is inevitable and his realisation of that is making him more and more desperate. His campaign speeches are shameful really," Jairam Ramesh said.
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Addressing a mega public rally in Karnataka's Belagavi, PM Modi said, "The Congress has ensured the writings of our history and our freedom struggle with an eye on appeasement and vote bank. Even today, the Congress' shehzade (prince)' is carrying forward that sin. You might have heard Congress' shehzade's recent statement -- he says Bharat's rajas and maharajas were 'atyachari (oppressive)'," according to the ANI.
"He (Rahul Gandhi) has accused them (rajas and maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and poor ¿ The Congress' shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires us even today," the prime minister said, the ANI reported on Sunday.
Recalling the contribution of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family for which they are respected across the country even today, he said, "The Congress' shehzade's statements were intentional, aimed at vote bank politics and appeasement."
"Shehzade spoke ill about rajas, maharajas but shahzade's mouth was locked regarding the 'atyachar' that the nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs committed in India's history. His mouth was shut on them but on rajas, maharajas he speaks ill and insults them," he said, the news agency reported.
Rahul Gandhi cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's oppressions, Modi said and added, "He (Aurangzeb) impured a number of our temples and destroyed those. The Congress is happily making alliances with parties that praise Aurangzeb ¿ It doesn't remember people who destroyed our religious places, indulged in killing, killing of cows. It doesn't remember the nawab who played a role in the partition of India," an ANI report stated.
He further recalled the contributions of the Raja of Banaras in setting up Banaras Hindu University and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the reconstruction of temples, as per the ANI.
(with ANI inputs)