Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘radar and clouds’ remark in relation to the Balakot airstrikes in Pakistan, asking him will all aircraft disappear from the radar whenever it rains in India.
Addressing election rallies in Neemuch, Ujjain and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi said Modi insulted his family during the poll campaign but he will never ever speak ill of the Prime Minister’s parents. “I will die, but will never insult Modiji’s mother and father.”
He also made a veiled reference to the PM’s interaction with actor Akshay Kumar during which Modi said he loved mangoes as a child and still loves them.
Noting that Modi in the recent days talked about cloud cover “helping” IAF planes evade Pakistani radars during the airstrikes and about climbing trees and eating mangoes, Rahul asked, “Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all aircraft disappear from the radar.”
“Clouds and mangoes are being talked about but nothing is being said on issues that matter,” Rahul said. He sought to know what did Modi do for the jobless youth.
“Modi ji, you taught (us) how to eat mangoes; now tell the country what you did for the jobless youth,” he said.
In Ujjain, Rahul Gandhi said Modi insulted his father and grandmother during the election campaign but he will never speak ill of the latter’s parents. He said the Congress would defeat Modi “with love”.
“Modi ji talks with hatred. He insulted my father, grandmother, great grandfather. But I will never in my life speak about his family, his mother and father. I will die, but will never insult Modiji’s mother and father.
“This is because I am not a RSS or BJP man, but belong to the Congress. I will return him love if hatred is thrown at me...We will defeat Modi ji with love, hugging you,” he said.
At the rally in Khandwa, Gandhi targeted Modi on the Rafale deal, adding the “chowkidar” committed theft and is therefore unable to speak on corruption.
Gandhi said Modi has not responded to his challenge for an open debate on alleged corruption in the Rafale deal for fear of getting exposed.
“Modi will not be able to show his face to the countrymen even just after 15 minutes of debate with me,” he said. “The chowkidar is a thief and is frightened since he will be exposed in the debate. He will not be able to show his face to the country,” he added.
The Rafale deal will be probed and action taken against the guilty once the Congress comes to power, Rahul said.