PM Modi is Like a Phone on Speaker & Airplane Mode: Rahul Gandhi

“PM Modi only uses speaker and airplane mode and not the work mode,” said Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka, ahead of polls.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the campaign trail in Karnataka. 

(Photo: PTI)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday, 7 May, hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "PPP Congress" jibe, likening him to a mobile phone on "speaker and airplane" mode as opposed to the “work” mode.

On the ninth leg of his election tour of Karnataka, he accused Modi of making personal attacks against him and not focusing on pertinent issues instead.

There are three modes in a cell phone... the first is the work mode... the other two are speaker mode and airplane mode. Modi only uses speaker and airplane mode and not the work mode.

Rahul Gandhi to reporters

He was responding to a question on Modi's remark at an election rally in Gadag where he said the Congress will become "Punjab, Puducherry Parivar (PPP)" Congress after its defeat in the Karnataka Assembly polls.

"You might have seen and heard, in my speeches I speak about Narendra Modi, I question him on issues... but I speak about him with respect. Narendra Modi is an elderly man, he is aged, going to be 70. I respect those who are elder to me," Gandhi told election rallies in Hosakote and Maluru.

Modi, he said, cannot speak on corruption as the party's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa faced graft allegations.

He cannot speak about corruption as he has Yeddyurappa standing next to him. He cannot speak about farmers as he has not given them Minimum Support Price (MSP), bonus, and not waived farm loan. He cannot speak about Dalits as Rohit Vemula (a dalit student of Hyderabad who committed suicide) was killed by his people...What is left? Speak ill about Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah,and (Mallikarjun) Kharge. He does it.

Rahul Gandhi

During the three-day visit, Gandhi is addressing public meetings in Kolar, Bengaluru rural, Chikkballapura, Tumakuru districts and Bengaluru city.

Gandhi said though use of such language was unbecoming of a prime minister, it was a "habit" with Modi.

Alleging that atrocities against Dalits and minorities were on the rise, the Congress president said his party would not allow the Constitution to be changed, as allegedly asserted by Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde from Karnataka.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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