JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing the caste card in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections for political gains.
He said the prime minister was "misleading" the people of the country through "pseudo-nationalism". "Whenever he feels that he is lagging behind, he misleads people by talking about religion, nationalism, Pakistan and him being from the backward class," Gehlot said in a statement issued here.
He said Modi was not talking about "real issues" and the people of the country have decided to overthrow the BJP government.
"Instead of replying to the issues raised by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition in the interest of the nation, Modi is engaged in creating emotional issues. The people have made up their mind and the time for BJP's departure has come," he said. Gehlot accused the prime minister of being an "expert" in presenting facts in a "distorted manner".
"Recently, he, in a public meeting in Maharashtra, said the Congress called backward classes 'chor' or thieves but no leader of the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi, has ever said this, and this can never be said," Gehlot said and added that the "false statement" went against the democratic values.