Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “murkho ke sardar” remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Gehlot said that it was unfortunate for PM to say such things since he holds a post of dignity.
“It is very unfortunate. The Prime Minister’s post holds dignity…The more it is criticised, the less it is. If a man holds a position of dignity but says things like this, what can you expect from him?” Gehlot said.
Another Opposition leader and Congress ally in Maharashtra, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) said that Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister in 2024 and Modi is afraid of him.
“Rahul Gandhi is now popular across the country and the BJP is going to lose the Assembly elections in five states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram). He (PM Modi) knows that he (Rahul Gandhi) will be the PM in 2024 and that is why he is afraid,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi over his “made-in-China” phones claim and referred to him “murkho ke sardar” without actually taking his name.
“One wise leader of the Congress said yesterday that everyone in India has ‘Made in China’ mobile phones. Arre Murkhon ke Sardar, (the leader of stupid people) in which world do you live! The leaders of the Congress have this mental disease of not recognising the achievements of their own countrymen,” the PM has said.
Modi’s sharp attack on Gandhi came in response to his statement at a Madhya Pradesh rally where he claimed that the Indian market is being dominated by Chinese products.
“Today, we see ‘Made in China’ on shirts, cameras, mobile phones. Have you ever seen ‘Made in Madhya Pradesh’ written on any product? The Congress wants to start factories in Madhya Pradesh so that the youth of the state get job opportunities. We hope a day comes when a youth takes out his mobile phone in China and that phone has been manufactured in Madhya Pradesh,” Rahul had said.