BHOPAL: Training guns on the Congress in the wake of recent remarks made about him by cricketer-turned-Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said at a poll rally in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, that Congress leaders dream of killing him.
“Congress ki mujh par bahut kripa hai, maine suna hai ki Congress ke ek bayan bahudur muhphat ne kaha hai ki Modi ko aisa chakka maaro ki seema paar mare. Congress walon ko aapke Modi se itni nafrat ho gayee hai ki vo Modi ko maarne tak ke sapne dekhne lage hain (Congress has been very kind to me. I heard recently that a loudmouthed Congress leader had said that ‘hit Modi for a six so that he dies outside the borders of India’. Congress leaders hate your Modi so much, that they have even started dreaming of killing him),” the PM said.
Responding to Sidhu’s remarks in cricketing jargon, the PM added, “They (Congress leaders) seem to have forgotten that people of the country as well as Madhya Pradesh are batting for Modi. Congress leaders need to tell the country which team they are playing for: Team India or the team of Pakistan sympathizers. If you think the Congress is bowling a wrong line and length, then you are mistaken. They are doing all this as part of a well-thought-out strategy.”
He also hit out at Pakistan for sponsoring terror in India. “Those patronizing terror are praying that Modi should be somehow stopped and removed,” he said.
Upping the vitriolic against the Congress, the PM said that after the horrific Easter Sunday terror attack, the Sri Lankan government had decided to ban controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s TV channel.
“He’s the same Zakir Naik whose events were attended by Diggy Raja (ex-MP CM Digvijaya Singh). He (Singh) attended Naik’s events and showered him with praises. He’s the same Zakir Naik who was invited by the Congress-led Central government to address our policemen on terrorism,” Modi said.
EC clean chit to Modi on speech
The EC on Wednesday concluded that PM Modi’s speech in Latur last month in which he had urged first time voters to dedicate their votes to the air strike heroes and the soldiers killed in Pulwama is not violative of its directive on invoking armed forces in poll campaigns.
Cong alleges PMO misuse
The Congress on Wednesday moved the EC against alleged misuse of the Prime Minister’s Office to collect information in advance about places where Modi is set to campaign. It also asked the poll panel to issue directives against the holding of a rally by PM in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh on May 6.