'Neech, Nikamma, Saddam Hussein': Name-Calling And Abuses Galore As Gujarat Poll Phase 1 Campaign Ends

With polling for the first phase of Gujarat election to be held on December 1, the lead-up to it has seen it all -- from crass jibes to videos targetting rival parties to hurling abuses.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's "Ravan" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's 'nikamma' retort brought to the fore how name-calling and derogatory remarks against political opponents have been the highlight of Gujarat election campaigning. With polling for the first phase of Gujarat election to be held on December 1, the lead-up to it has seen it all -- from crass jibes to videos targetting rival parties to hurling abuses.

A war of words between BJP and Congress erupted on Tuesday after Mallikarjun Kharge said at a public event in Gujarat that PM Modi had "100 heads" like demon king "Ravan" since he was present in every election. "We see your face everywhere in corporation elections, MLA elections, and MP elections. Do you have 100 heads like Raavan?” Kharge said at a gathering in Ahmedabad's Behrampura.

BJP was quick to pounce upon Kharge's remarks and retorted by calling the Dalit leader a "nikamma". The saffron party also sought to remind the public how Congress has always insulted the "son of Gujarat" by using words like "Ravan" and "Maut ka Saudagar", which was made by former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in 2007 ahead of the state assembly election.  

"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’," tweeted BJP's national general secretary CT Ravi.

IN PICS | Gujarat Election: High-Decibel Campaign For First Phase Concludes

The BJP's IT department head, Amit Malviya, said in a tweet, "Unable to take the heat of Gujarat election, pushed to the fringe, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge loses control over his words, calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'Ravan'. From 'Maut ka Saudagar' to 'Ravan', Congress continues to insult Gujarat and it's son."

A few days back, a video went viral on social media where senior Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry was seen making a derogatory remark against PM Modi. "Hum Modiji ko uski aukat batana chatein hai," said the senior Congress leader when a journalist questioned him about the Congress party’s manifesto promise to rename the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to Sardar Patel Stadium.

Following Mistry's "aukat" jibe at the prime minister, Modi, during a rally in Surendranagar's Dudhrej village, said, "You are all royal families, but I am from a normal family. I have no aukat. I am a sevak and sevadar, and sevak and sevadar have no aukat. You called me neechi jati, neechpan, you called me maut ka saudagar, gandi nali ka keeda… and now you have come to show me my aukat. I have no aukat".

Hitting back at Mistry, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had said, "What ‘Aukaat’ will you show Soniaji? Every Gujarati should teach a lesson to this Congress party which has used such words against the Pride of Gujarat, every Gujarati should come out and vote and teach Congress a lesson.” 

In October, a controversy erupted after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) party’s state unit chief Gopal Italia was seen allegedly calling PM Modi ‘neech aadmi‘ in a video. The viral footage was shared by a number of BJP leaders, who condemned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP.

The remarks were similar to those made five years ago by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar in 2017. The 'neech aadmi' jibe by Aiyar cost Congress dearly in the Gujarat election. The BJP had used Aiyar's statement as a weapon against Congress, terming the party anti-poor and anti-backward castes.

Following Gopal Italia's remarks, BJP's Sambit Patra hit back, saying, "The kind of language that AAP has used for PM Modi, it reflects the kind of party it is. AAP and Kejriwal had said that they have come to change the character of the country. If they call a PM neech, and not once but many times, this shows the mentality of AAP."

Tweeting a fresh video that purportedly showed Italia making derogatory remarks about the Prime Minister's 99-year-old mother Hiraben Modi, BJP leader Smriti Irani said, "Gutter mouth Gopal Italia now abuses Hira Ba with your blessings. I prefer no outrage, I don't want to show how indignant Gujaratis are but know this you have been judged & your party shall be decimated electorally in Gujarat. Now the people will deliver justice."

Last week, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stirred a controversy by saying that Rahul Gandhi, who is leading Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', nowadays looked more like former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

During a public rally in Ahmedabad, while campaigning for the Gujarat election, Sarma said, "I just saw that his looks have also changed. I said in a TV interview a few days back that there is nothing wrong with his new look. But if you have to change the looks, at least make it like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or even Jawaharlal Nehru will do. It is better if it looks like Gandhiji. But why is your face turning into Saddam Hussein?"

Hitting back at the Assam CM, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Digvijay Singh said that Sarma should be ashamed of speaking ill about Rahul Gandhi as "whatever he is today is because of the Congress leader".