In poll-bound Karnataka, PM Modi rips into Congress for 'insulting' party chief Kharge

He said Kharge was disrespected by the party, in favour of a 'family', apparently indicating the Nehru-Gandhi family, despite the Congress chief's seniority and age.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of disrespecting Karnataka, while alleging that its President Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from the state, was insulted by the party during its Plenary session in Chhattisgarh.

He said Kharge was insulted and disrespected by the party, in favour of a "family", apparently indicating the Nehru-Gandhi family, despite the Congress chief's seniority and age.

"I want to remind you how Congress hates Karnataka. Insulting Karnataka's leaders is part of Congress' old culture. From whomever Congress' family feels troubled, disrespecting them begins in that party. History stands witness to the insult meted out to the leaders such as S Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil before the family. Everyone in Karnataka knows it," Modi said.

Addressing a massive gathering, he said now once again, one more leader from Karnataka has been insulted by loyalists of the family.

Read | 'PM has become a tourist', says Congress as Modi visits Karnataka

"I have great respect for Mallikarjun Kharge, a son of this land, who has about 50 years of parliamentary or legislature experience. He has tried to do whatever he could in the service of people. But I was sad looking at how Kharge, who is the President of the party and a senior in age, was treated during the Congress' session in Chhattisgarh," the Prime Minister said.

"The weather was hot, everyone standing there feeling the heat was natural, but in that heat the good fortune of umbrella's shade was not there for Kharge who is Congress chief and senior in age. The umbrella's shade was for someone standing next to him. This shows Kharge is Congress President just for the sake of it, and looking at the way he is treated, everyone can see and understand, as to whose hands the remote control is in," he further said.

The Prime Minister was speaking after releasing the 13th instalment of funds worth over Rs 16,000 crore under the PM-KISAN scheme for beneficiaries across the country and laying the foundation stone and dedicating to the nation multiple development projects worth more than Rs 2,700 crore here. Noting that several political parties in the country are in the clutches of dynastic politics, Modi said: "We have to free the country from these clutches. People of Karnataka should be cautious about parties like Congress."

He claimed that "Congress people" are so disappointed that they feel that until Modi is alive, they cannot do anything.

"So all of them are saying and raising slogans 'Marja Modi, Marja Modi' (Modi die, Modi die), some people are even busy digging 'kabr' (grave). They are saying 'Modi teri kabr khudegi' (Modi your grave will be dug)...but the country is saying 'Modi tera kamal khilega' (Modi your lotus will bloom)." Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May.