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‘I brought Rajiv Ji home in pieces’: Priyanka Gandhi at election rally in Gujarat

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his relentless attack on the Congress over “wealth redistribution" promise in its manifesto, Priyanka said Modi "would be the first PM who lies to the public."

Priyanka Gandhi Valsad rallyEarlier last week, Priyanka had attacked Modi over his “mangalsutra and gold” remarks, saying her mother Sonia Gandhi’s mangalsutra was sacrificed for the sake of the country. (PTI Photo)
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Targeting PM Narendra Modi over his relentless attack on the Congress over “wealth redistribution” promise in its manifesto, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Saturday said she has seen many Prime Ministers, including her father Rajiv Gandhi who she “brought back in pieces”, but not one “who lies to the public.”

Addressing a rally in Gujarat’s Valsad, Gandhi also mentioned former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom she said “brought revolution in the country” and were civilized.

“I have seen many Prime Ministers of the country… Indira Ji was martyred for the country. I brought Rajiv Ji home in pieces, he was martyred for the country. Manmohan Singh Ji brought revolution in this country. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji was also in the opposition, who was a civilized person,” she said.

“But I can say with confidence that he is the first Prime Minister of the country who lies to the public,” she added.


Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara, Modi had last Sunday said that the Congress, if voted to power, could distribute the nation’s wealth among “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”.

Referring to former PM Manmohan Singh’s remarks at a meeting of the National Development Council in December 2006, Modi had also said, “Ye Congress ka manifesto keh raha hai, ki woh mataon aur beheno ke sone ka hisaab karenge, uski jarthi karenge, jaanakari lenge aur phir woh sampati ko baant denge. Aur unko baatenge, jinko Manmohan Singh ji ki sarkar ne kaha tha ki sampati par pehla adhikar Musalmanon ka hai. Bhaiyon aur behno, yeh Urban Naxal ki soch, meri mataon, behno, aapka mangal sutra bhi bachne nahi denge (Congress’s manifesto says they will take stock of the gold mothers and daughters have, and will distribute that wealth. Manmohan Singh’s government had said Muslims have the first right to wealth. Brothers and sisters, this Urban Naxal thinking will not spare even the mangal sutras of my mothers and sisters).”

Launching a scathing attack over his remarks, Priyanka asked, “He is now warning people that Congress will enter their houses with an X-ray machine to conduct a search, then snatch your ornaments as well as ‘mangalsutra’ kept in safes and give it away to others. Is that even possible? Is he doing this out of nervousness?”

Stating that PM Modi never talks about education, health or inflation, the Congress general secretary said, “I don’t think people can tolerate this for five more years… He just organises mega events and roams across the world. Now, when people are asking for his report card, he is getting nervous. That’s why he is raising issues of Hindu-Muslim or being a Vishwaguru” Gandhi said.

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She added that such talks were meaningless if the PM can’t provide employment or drinking water to people and urged voters to compel him to apologise for his deeds whenever he visits Valsad.

Earlier last week, Priyanka had attacked Modi over his “mangalsutra and gold” remarks, saying her mother Sonia Gandhi’s mangalsutra was sacrificed for the sake of the country. She also alleged that the Prime Minister has abandoned ethics and is indulging in drama to distract the people from the real issues.

All 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will go to polls in the third phase of general elections on May 7. BJP had clean-swept the state in the 2014 and 2019 polls.

With PTI inputs

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  • Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Narendra Modi Priyanka Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi
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