Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit back at the Congress for calling him 'Ravan'. PM Modi said, "Congress does not believe in the existence of Ram or the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. It opposes the Ram Setu. But it mentioned Ravana from Ramayana to abuse me.”


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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge during a public meeting in Behrampura, Ahmedabad, on Monday, likened PM Modi to Ravan. “Everywhere your [PM Modi’s] image is used — be it civic elections, or assembly polls, or general elections. How many times shall we see your face? Are you Ravan with 100 heads,” Kharge said.


"I respect Khargeji. He says what he has been told to say. Congress doesn't know that this is Ram Bhakts' Gujarat. On this land of "Rambhakts", they were asked to say, "Modiji 100 sir wala Raavan," PM Modi said at a rally in Kalol, Panchmahal.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah, too, slammed the Congress for Kharge's comment. "Every time the Congress has used inappropriate words against PM Modi, the people of Gujarat have replied through the ballot box. This time also the people of the state will give an apt reply," he said.



The remark drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders. BJP’s national general secretary and in-charge of Goa, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu CT Ravi said that Congress leaders were “frustrated with their nikamma”. “In yet another incident that proves CONgress should be relegated to political dustbin, the dummy President of @INCIndia calls PM Shri @narendramodi as ‘Ravan’. Are CONgis so frustrated with their Nikamma? Has  @kharge lost his sanity serving ‘Fake Gandhis’,” he tweeted.


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Mallikarjun Kharge is one of the few star campaigners in Gujarat for Congress, who has been holding public rallies.


The highly-anticipated two-phase Gujarat Elections 2022 kicked off on Thursday. A total of 89 constituencies are going to polls in the first phase while the rest of the 93 seats will be up for grabs on December 5.


As many as 1,621 candidates are in the fray for the Gujarat polls. While 788 candidates, including 339 independents, are contesting the assembly seats in the first phase, 833 candidates, including 285 independents, will be participating in the second phase.


(With inputs from ANI.)


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