In the latest among a string of controversial utterances that have heated up the Gujarat poll campaign, PM Narendra Modi made the stunning charge that Congress and elements in Pakistan may be working in cahoots to prevent a BJP victory in the state, reports The Times of India.
Speaking at Palanpur in north Gujarat on Sunday, Modi claimed that a retired DG of the Pakistan Army, Arshad Rafiq, wanted to see Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Sonia Gandhi, as Gujarat CM, and former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri and its high commissioner had met Congress leaders.
"While there are discussions in Pakistan about making Ahmed Patel CM, Pakistan's high commissioner, its former foreign minister, former PM Manmohan Singh, and former Vice-President (Hamid) Ansariji met at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house," the PM said. "The next day, a statement was made that Modi is 'neech'."
The charge of a Pakistan hand in allegedly destabilising or influencing the election takes the bitterly fought election to a new low after Aiyar sparked a full blown controversy with his "neech" reference to Modi and the PM's call to voters to avenge the insult.
The alleged meeting between Pakistani leaders saw Modi attack Congress in what came across as a bid to play the polarising card by sticking a "pro-Pak" label on Congress.
Modi said the 'secret meeting' lasted three hours. "This is an issue of serious concern. We suffer a lot due to Pakistan's actions, and you (the Congress) conducted meetings behind closed doors?" Modi said. "You should've had an official of the Government of India in the meeting, and informed the government about what transpired." He had earlier accused Rahul Gandhi of "hugging" the Chinese ambassador at the height of the Doklam stand off.
Modi called Aiyar's comment "an insult to the 125 crore people of India as well as to the post of the PM". Aiyar was suspended from Congress following his comment. He later apologised for the remark.
Earlier, Modi had said, "One Congress youth leader Salman Nizami is campaigning for Rahul Gandhi... He said on Twitter that Rahul's father (Rajiv) and grandmother (Indira) had sacrificed their lives, while his great grandfather (Nehru) was a freedom fighter... Then he (Nizami) went on to ask that Modi should answer who were his father and mother.... Do we use this language in public discourse? "He called Indian armed forces rapists, and further said in his tweets that 'ghar ghar se Afzal niklega'. Do you want Afzal in every home?" Modi asked.
Modi urged people to vote for BJP and acknowledged that voters of this region did not support BJP during the previous assembly polls. "In 2012, entire Gujarat was with Modi, but only these five assembly seats in Banaskantha did not remain with the BJP," he said. "Are you not in anguish because of this? Don't you want to settle the score this time?" Hinting at Dalit rights activist Jignesh Mevani's independent candidature supported by Congress, Modi said, "In these five assembly seats, whether there are Congress candidates or any dubious person brought in by them, I want to win in all polling booths."
Modi lampooned Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi saying, "You people know that potatoes are cultivated in farms with hard labour, but that fellow says potatoes are grown in factories. Bring him here and make him understand that potato farming requires hard labour." "Earlier, would there not be curfew during Ganesh festivities, Ram Navami and Uttarayan? But now don't Hindus and Muslims do businesses together?" said Modi.