PM Modi Responds To Chhattisgarh Congress Leader’s ‘Break His Head’ Remark, Says ‘You Can’t Harm Me Till…’

Chhattisgarh Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi responded to a Congress leader's remarks on 'breaking' his head and emphasised the significance of women's support, calling them his "protection shield."

Chhattisgarh Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a public rally in Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, on Tuesday, emphasised the significance of 'Nari Shakti' (women power) in his political journey, terming it as his 'Raksha Kavach' (protective shield). He asserted that as long as the support of "mothers and sisters" remains intact, opposition attempts to undermine him would fail. Responding to Congress leader Charan Das Mahant's remarks to 'break' his head, PM Modi asserted, "No one can inflict any harm on Modi."

Referring to Mahant's statement, PM Modi highlighted the unwavering support he receives from women, stating, "As long as my mothers and sisters are with me, no one can bring any harm to Modi." 

In an indirect dig at Rahul Gandhi's Modi surname remark, the Prime Minister said, "You can imagine the kind of leaders, who abuse the 'Modi Samaj' (a reference to Rahul Gandhi's alleged imputation that everyone with the surname 'Modi' was a thief) and 'Sahu Samaj' (a community of traders). Now, they are threatening to break Modi's head. A Congress leader even wished death to Modi. But his wish will never come true because where 140 crore people stand with you, 'vaha maut ko bhi lambe samay ke liye intezar karna padhta hai' (even death has to wait a long time)."

Meanwhile, in his address today, PM Modi also criticised the Congress for its absence at the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22, portraying it as disrespect towards Chhattisgarh and its cultural ethos. He accused the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics at the expense of Dalits, the poor, and Adivasis, contrasting it with his party's focus on the welfare of marginalised sections of society.

During his speech, PM Modi also interacted with a girl from the audience who had brought a self-made portrait as a gift for him. Expressing gratitude, he asked her to write her name and address on the back of the portrait so that he could correspond with her. 

Complaint Filed Against Chhattisgarh Congress Leader For 'Break Modi's Head' Remark 

Earlier, Charan Das Mahant, during a rally in Rajnandgaon on April 2, had called for a strong leader capable of confronting PM Modi, suggesting that former CM Bhupesh Baghel could be that figure. He said, "We need a man who can wield a stick in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a man who can break his head. This man could be none other than Bhupesh Baghel or Devendra Yadav."

A complaint was filed under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code against Mahant in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh on March 5 following the Election Commission's directives. The BJP has accused Mahant of inciting violence against PM Modi with this statement.

Later, Charan Das Mahant apologised for his statement saying that his remark had been misinterpreted.  He expressed regret for his remarks.

The Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh are being conducted in three phases, with the first phase already completed on April 19. The remaining 10 constituencies will go to polls on April 26 and May 7. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured nine out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while the Congress managed to win only two seats.