Make A Non-Gandhi Cong Chief, Will Believe Nehru’s Legacy: PM Modi

Modi also said that the Gandhis can’t come to terms that a “son of a poor mother” could become the prime minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 16 November, dared the Congress party to make someone from outside the Gandhi family the party chief at least for five years.

(Photo altered by The Quint)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 16 November, dared the Congress party to make someone from outside the Gandhi family the party chief at least for five years, for him to believe in Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy.

PM Modi was taking a jibe at Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s “a chaiwala could become prime minister due to Nehru” barb.

Addressing a campaign rally for the second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, Modi slammed the Opposition party for crediting his occupation of the PM's post to Nehru instead of people in the country.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had earlier said it was due to the institutional structure built by Nehru that even a "chaiwala" (tea seller) could become India's prime minister. His party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge had also said a "chaiwala" could become the prime minister as the Congress preserved democracy.

In response to Tharoor’s remarks, Modi charged the Gandhis with still not being able to come to terms with the “son of a poor mother” becoming the country’s prime minister.

‘Appoint a Cong Chief from Outside the Gandhi Family for 5 Years’

PM Modi asked the Congress to give an account of what the four generations of the (Gandhi) family did for the nation.

“If you so much respect the democracy, do a small thing. If you claim that because of your principles, your faith in democracy, the Constitution and Pandit Nehru, Modi, a chaiwala, could become the PM, appoint someone good from outside the (Gandhi) family as the Congress president for just five years,” he said.

"If this happens, I will accept that Nehru ji created such a democratic system because of which anyone, (even) a dedicated Congressman outside the family could become the Congress chief," he said.

Modi's five-year tenure remark was apparently in reference to Sitaram Kesri who was the Congress president in the 90s, but did not have a five-year term. He held the post from September 1996 to March 1998.

The “contract of democracy” of the country was not given to a family, he said, adding the (Gandhi) family felt the Britishers had named India after it.

He also hit back at the Congress also for questioning demonetisation, saying the move "still rankles" them as the money "stashed under beds and in sacks" was taken away in a single stroke.

‘Congress Kept India in the Dark With Lies’

Without naming the Gandhis, Modi said they were unable to come to terms with Modi being the prime minister for four and a half years now "after their four generations ruled the country".

"They still keep crying. How could a chaiwala sit (on the PM's chair). How could he? They still cannot fathom how the son of a poor mother could sit on the 'raj gaddi' (throne of power)," he said.

"You can't understand the difficulties faced by the poor, but a chaiwala can," Modi said in a veiled attack on the Congress and the Gandhis.

"They (Congress) have kept the country in the dark with their lies which are ingrained in their minds," Modi said, not mincing words to target the principal Opposition party and its top leaders.

‘People of Bastar Gave Strong Response to Naxals’

He also hailed the impressive turnout in the first phase of polling held in the state on 10 November.

"People of Bastar in Chhattisgarh gave a strong response to Naxals by registering record voting percentage in the first phase," he added.

The second phase of polling in the state will be held on 20 November and the election results will be out on 11 December.