Latching on to the Congress  President M Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘venomous snake’ barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the party and its leaders have lost their mind and maintained that  the support for the Prime Minister would increase in Karnataka with such abusive comments from the opposition.

 Another  Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw  said the Congress veteran leader’s remarks reflect his party’s “culture and mindset”. Addressing a public meeting at Navalgund in Dharwad district, Shah  said the Congress cannot instigate people with such statements, because the support for  the Prime Minister  will increase, as much as they abuse him. Prime Minister Modi is to start his  Karnataka poll campaign from Saturday and to  stay in Karnataka for two-days.”Congress is lacking on issues, in the last nine years Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased India’s pride in the world, he has worked to make India prosperous, he has made India’s infrastructure strong, he has made India’s borders safe. Wherever Modi ji goes across the world people there welcome him with ‘Modi-Modi’ slogans,” Shah said.

 The home Minister said  “Congress President Kharge says our leader Modi, whom the whole world respects and welcomes, is like a venomous snake. I want to ask you, can you make the Congress party, which has compared Modi to a venomous snake, victorious in the election? “

“The same Congress gives the slogan ‘Modi teri khabar khudegi’, Sonia Gandhi says ‘Maut Ka Saudagar’, Priyanka Gandhi says ‘neechi jati ke log’ (people of low caste), and he (Kharge) says ‘Vishela Samp’ (venomous snake), Congress people, you have lost your mind. How much ever you abuse Modi, lotus will bloom,” Shah said. By abusing Modi, Congress cannot instigate people of Karnataka, he further said and added that, “If you abuse Modi, support for him will increase.”