BJP, Congress spar after PM Modi takes 'Aurangzeb' jab at Rahul Gandhi: 'To incite communal prejudices...'

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "maliciously twisting" every statement made by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the BJP stalwart wants to inflame communal passions in the country.

The general secretary of the grand old party was reacting to the remarks made by the prime minister during a rally in Belagavi of Karnataka, where he said the Shehzade of Congress insulted Indian kings but remained silent on atrocities committed by sultans, nawabs, nizams and badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics.

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Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) Ramesh posted in Hindi, “He maliciously and mischievously twists every statement of Rahul Gandhi to inflame, incite and ignite communal prejudices and passions."

The Congress general secretary claimed that PM Modi’s remark shows that his exit is inevitable.

"His (PM Modi) exit is inevitable and his realisation of that is making him more and more desperate. His campaign speeches are shameful really," Ramesh added to his post.

What PM Modi said during Karnataka rally

During his speech at the Belagavi rally in Karnataka, the prime minister said the Congress views India's history from an eye of appeasement and vote bank politics, and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi has insulted iconic Indian rulers like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, adding that the Wayanad MP called Indian rulers atyachari.

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"He (Gandhi) has accused them (rajas and maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and the poor … The Congress' shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires us even today,'' PTI reported.

The prime minister further said the Congress leaver never spoke about the atrocities committed by the nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs.

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"Shehzade spoke ill about rajas, maharajas but shahzade's mouth was locked regarding the 'atyachar' that the nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs committed in India's history. His mouth was shut on them but on rajas, maharajas he speaks ill and insults them," he added.

PM Modi further said the senior Congress leader cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who destroyed Indian temples.

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"He (Aurangzeb) impure a number of our temples and destroyed them. The Congress is happily making alliances with parties that praise Aurangzeb … It doesn't remember people who destroyed our religious places, indulged in killing, killing of cows. It doesn't remember the nawab who played a role in the partition of India.

The prime minister recalled the contributions of the Raja of Banaras in setting up Banaras Hindu University, and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the reconstruction of temples