'Nafrat Ki Dukaan': In PM's Congress Onslaught, A Mention Of Row Over Journalist's Treatment, Kharge's 'Jail' Jibe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress by taking a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan’ pitch, even as he slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks that BJP leaders would have been in jail had the Opposition alliance won 20 more seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district for the upcoming assembly polls, PM Modi recalled the incident where an Indian journalist was allegedly assaulted by Rahul Gandhi’s team in the US. He slammed the Congress for selling ‘Nafrat (Hatred) in ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan (Shop of Love).’

US-based journalist Rohit Sharma claimed he was manhandled by Rahul Gandhi’s team after questioning Sam Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, about attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. Sharma stated that after a successful interview with Pitroda, a group of Congress supporters forcibly took his phone, detained him in a room, and pressured him to delete the interview just before Gandhi’s arrival in Dallas.

“A journalist of our country was subjected to cruelty in the USA by Congress. A son of India was insulted in the USA. Those who claim to be champions of freedom of speech indulged in brutality,” said PM Modi, who became the first Prime Minister to visit Doda in 42 years, said.

PM Modi expressed strong objections against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘jail’ remark during the address at the Doda rally in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister asked the Congress whether they wanted to form a government at the Centre to put people in jail or to work for the people. “We run the government for the welfare of the people. When they (Congress) don’t have any agenda they just want to send people to jail.”

Addressing a rally in Anantnag, Mallikarjun Kharge ignited a political firestorm by saying, “If Congress had won 20 more seats, then they all would have been jailed.” Kharge also mentioned the importance of the alliance and urged the supporters to be unafraid of the BJP. He also appealed to the party supporters to fight together and not blame each other.

PM Modi’s Big Attack on ‘Pariwarwad’

PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress, National Conference, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that their dynastic politics has “hollowed” Jammu and Kashmir.

“This time the elections of Jammu and Kashmir are going to decide the fate of J&K. Since independence, our beloved J&K has been targeted by foreign powers. After that, ‘pariwarwad’ (dynastic politics) started hollowing this beautiful state. The political parties you trusted here did not care about your children. Those political parties only promoted their children,” he said.

National Conference was quick to catch PM Modi’s criticism of the party and said that when BJP needed help from their families (Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti), then they were not held responsible for the destruction of J&K.

“They found nothing wrong in PDP when were in an alliance with PDP in J&K… They can find everything wrong with us during elections… Tomorrow if BJP falls short of numbers, and PDP decides to help them, they will again find nothing wrong with the PDP. It’s all a matter of time,” said National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah while speaking to reporters after PM Modi’s rally.