Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at him for his ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ chants during rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shot back saying that he will continue to do so.

Addressing a mammoth Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Rajasthan’s Sikar, the PM said that he lives and dies for Bharat Mata.

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“Instead of Bharat Mata ki Jai, the naamdar’s (dynast) nature is to raise India is Indira and Sonia Gandhi ki Jai slogans. But we will live for Bharat Mata and die for Bharat Mata,” said the PM.

Sending a clear message to the Congress, the PM made the gathering raise ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogan 10 times before starting his speech.

“Every Indian feels a sense of pride when raising Bharat Mata ki Jai slogan but a Congress naamdar has issued a fatwa suggesting that Modi shouldn’t raise this slogan in election rallies,” said the PM.

“Who are they to say this? They must be ashamed of even saying such a thing. This shows their disrespect for our motherland,” he said while lambasting the Congress.

Modi was responding to Gandhi’s comment that the PM should chant the names of Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani instead of Bharat Mata during his speeches.

Addressing a rally in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Alwar today, the 48-year-old Congress chief said, “In every speech Modi says ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, but in reality, he works for Anil Ambani. He should begin his speeches with ‘Anil Ambani ki jai, Mehul Choksi ki jai, Nirav Modi ki jai, Lalit Modi ki jai’.”

Read More | PM Modi chants Bharat Mata ki Jai but works for Anil Ambani: Rahul Gandhi

At Sikar, the PM also charged the Congress for questioning the validity of the September 2016 surgical strikes Amid loud cheers and ‘Modi-Modi’ slogans.

“The entire nation felt elated when the soldiers returned from the successful surgical strikes. But it appeared that the Congress was in mourning. Did you doubt when you learned the news? Yet the naamdar in Congress was claiming that Modi is lying,” the PM said.

Earlier today, Modi lashed out at the Congress saying that “it was because of the mistakes committed by the UPA government that Kartarpur Sahib is in Pakistan today”.

“When India attained Independence in 1947, some people were in such hurry to ascend the throne that they ignored the country’s partition. It is because of Congress’ mistakes that Kartarpur Sahib is in Pakistan today,” the PM said while addressing an election rally in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh.

Read More | Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan due to mistakes committed by ‘greedy’ Congress: PM Modi in Rajasthan

Elections for the 200-seat Rajasthan assembly will be held on 7 December.