Sold tea, never the country, said Modi taking a swipe at Congress’ chaiwala remark

mangaloretoday News Network

New Delhi, Nov 27, 2017 : Kicking off a high-octane campaign of the BJP in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today alleged the Congress of constantly mocking him for being a chaiwala (tea seller) and repeatedly threatening him to reduce him to sell tea again.

 

Upping the rhetoric of dynastic politics targeting Rahul Gandhi, victimisation and terrorism, Modi during his four rallies in the state said, "I am the son of soil. How dare Congress insult your son? I am a poor man who has taken the seat of power from the Congress. And they are very angry with me. They believe it is theirs as if they have inherited it. I am a chaiwala, I sell only tea. I will never commit the sin of selling the country."

His repeated reference to his humble beginnings and calling himself a poor man can be seen as a subtle retaliation to the Congress’s repeated attack on his policies being pro-elite and anti-poor. Modi has struck back saying that not only he is himself a poor man, but also that he is in fact being targeted by the Congress, who thinks of the country’s government as an inheritance.

Modi addressed four rallies in Gujarat today beginning with Bhuj. He then proceeded to Jasdan near Rajkot and Amreli, followed by Kadodara near Surat.

In another unusual outreach directly to the Patidar community, Modi recalled four Patel chief ministers of Gujarat - Babu Jashbhai Patel, Chimanbhai Patel, Keshubhai Patel and Anandiben Patel. "Indira Gandhi’s Congress unseated Babu Patel from power and handed over the reins of power to Madhavsinh Solanki. The BJP also extended support to Chimanbhai Patel (Janata Dal) government. After that, when Keshubhai Patel and Anandiben Patel were CMs, the Congress played several games to throw them out of power as well."

Modi’s mention of the former Patel CMs of Gujarat can be seen as an attempt to reach out to the Patidars and also underscores the BJP’s concerns over the Patidar reservation movement led by Hardik Patel that is supporting the Congress now. These are the two big takeaways from Modi’s maiden visit to the state.

Modi spoke in Gujarati in all the rallies. He spoke about a few local issues and the work done by him for the particular region when he was the chief minister of the state. But his main narrative remained the criticism of Congress, the Nehru-Gandhi family, and that the party ’hated Gujarat’.

He repeated at all rallies that ’Gujarat will not forgive Congress’ for the injustice meted out to the state by the party when it was in power.

"Congress has never had a liking for Gujarat. First and foremost it sidelined Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. One only needs to read the diaries of Maniben (Patel’s daughter) to understand the pain Sardar had experienced. Then another son of Gujarat’s soil who was insulted by Indira Gandhi was Morarji Desai, who also made us proud by becoming the prime minister of India," he said, invoking the Gujarati asmita as well.

As he spoke in Gujarati and especially when he targeted Rahul Gandhi for expecting the seat of power as an inheritance, making a reference to the impending announcement of his election as the Congress’s president, Modi received cheers from the crowd.

"Congress has neither a neta (leader) nor any Niti (policy / strategy)," he mocked.

Raking up some international issues, Modi said the Congress does not even have the decency to respect the Indian Army. "When our Army was in a tight logjam with China over Doklam, he (Rahul Gandhi) went and hugged the Chinese ambassador. When Indian Army conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan, they doubted it," he said.

This is Modi’s first political visit to Gujarat after elections were announced. He is scheduled to address four more rallies on Wednesday.




courtesy:Yahoo