Don't speak like 'cheap villain from a C-grade Hindi movie': Congress' Pawan Khera takes swipe at PM Modi

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lowering the level of discourse during the election campaign and claimed it showed that the BJP was losing assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

After alleging that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will snatch the "magalsutra" in his Lok Sabha campaign speeches, Modi has stooped to calling the opposition alliance "ghuspaithiya bandhan" (an alliance of infiltrators) and claiming it will "snatch daughters and food" in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the party said.

Congress leader Pawan Khera stated that it is unbecoming of a prime minister to use language similar to that of a "cheap villain from a C-grade Hindi film" and he should uphold the dignity of his office.

Taking a dig, he also asked if Modi was criticising Home Minister Amit Shah's work by claiming that infiltrators had free rein in Jharkhand.

"The level of the prime minister's language in electioneering is falling very fast. In Lok Sabha polls, while fearing defeat, he sought to divide society by spewing venom among communities. They did not get enough votes and today they are running a coalition government," he said.

"In the Lok Sabha elections, it started with buffalo, mutton, fish, mangalsutra, Muslim, and by the time it came to Jharkhand elections, it has reached to daughter and bread.

"He used to say INDIA people will take away your daughters and mangalsutra and is now running a government in alliance with other partners," Khera said in a post in Hindi on X.

In a video message also posted on X, the Congress leader claimed the BJP's prospects are even worse in Jharkhand and Maharashtra and "they know they are losing".

"He is now again talking of 'ghuspaithiya' sarkar, that it will snatch your daughters and food. But, border security is under them as he has been in government for over 10 years. Who is giving this certificate to the BSF, the Home Minister, Rajnath Singh or are you criticising your foreign policy," Khera alleged.

The Congress spokesperson wondered if the prime minister is publicly criticising Home Minister Amit Shah with such statements. "Whatever their differences, he should improve his language. Such language and dialogues are not befitting of the prime minister's post," he said.

"Such dialogues are spoken by a cheap villain of a C-grade Hindi film and do not behove him. You must improve upon your language," he said Accusing the prime minister of having "lost personal respect", Khera said, "At least maintain the respect and reputation of the position you hold".

"Please maintain this 'maryada' (decorum) in the leftover time you have, please keep that in mind," the chairman of the media and publicity department of the Congress said.

Prime Minister Modi on Monday launched a no-holds-barred attack on the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand, labelling it a 'ghuspaithiya bandhan' (infiltrators' alliance) for "supporting Bangladeshi infiltrators".

"Appeasement politics has reached its zenith in Jharkhand where the JMM-led coalition is busy supporting Bangladeshi infiltrators. If this continues, the state's tribal population will shrink. This is a threat to the tribal society and the country. This coalition has become a 'ghushpaithiya bandhan' and 'Mafia ka Ghulam'," Modi claimed at a rally in Garhwa.

Modi alleged that the JMM-led ruling coalition in the state of which the Congress is a part has put tribal "identity, dignity and existence" at stake by "facilitating" Bangladeshi infiltrators to make fake documents.

"Infiltrators are snatching your daughters, grabbing land and devouring your bread," he said in Chaibasa, claiming that efforts were being made to change Jharkhand's demography.

This was Modi's first visit to Jharkhand following the announcement of assembly elections, scheduled on November 13 and November 20.