New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attack on him over his reference to 'Shakti.' Gandhi's remarks on 'Shakti' has generated a massive controversy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“Modi ji does not like my words. He tries to twist my statements and change the meaning, because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth,” Gandhi said in a post on social platform X.
Defending his remarks, Rahul Gandhi said that the 'Shakti' he spoke about was not religious, but the power of unrighteousness, corruption, and untruth.
On Sunday, addressing a public gathering at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, Gandhi had raised concerns about the operation of EVMs, using the Hindi word 'Shakti' to emphasize the Opposition's struggle against the might of the state.
“There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre,” he had said on the last day of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Slamming the Congress leader for his statement about "fighting against Shakti," PM Modi said, "Yesterday an announcement to destroy Shakti was made from Shivaji Park (in Mumbai). How much it must have hurt the soul of Balasaheb Thackeray... Nari Shakti ka yahi aashirvad mera sabse bada kawach hai...The people of the INDI alliance want to destroy this Shakti. They hate the increasing shakti of Maa Bharti...'Vaar' on Shakti means 'vaar' on women, daughters, Maa Bharti..."
"Attacking the 'Shakti' means attacking the power of 'Maa Bharti'. However, this 'Shakti' will annihilate terror and anarchy. The INDI alliance and Congress have challenged this 'Shakti'. However, they will receive an answer for this from the daughters and mothers of this country," he added.