"How INDI alliance has vowed to eradicate Shakti...Congress has insulted it": PM Modi in Pilibhit rally

Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 9 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday attacked the INDIA alliance over earlier "Shakti" remarks of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said he was reminding people on the first day of Navratri how the opposition bloc has "vowed to end Shakti".
Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit in support of BJP candidate, Jitin Prasada, PM Modi also accused Congress of "appeasement politics".
PM Modi greeted people on Navratri and other festivals.
"New Year is being celebrated in several parts of the country today. Chaitra Navratri has also begun from today. When everyone is submerged in devotion and is worshipping 'shakti', witnessing such a big rally is a wonder in itself. I was wondering how people will come here today but you all have come to give your blessings to us. The message is clear. Only one thing can be heard - 'Fir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkaar'," he said.
"On this auspicious first day of Navratri, as we commence the worship of Shakti, I am reminding you how INDI alliance has vowed to end Shakti. Today the Shakti that the country is worshipping, the Congress has insulted the same Shakti. The Shakti before whom all of us bow, the Congress leaders talk of removing that," he added.
Rahul Gandhi had mentioned "Shakti" at the culmination event of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai and referred to apprehensions among opposition parties relating to electronic voting machines (EVM) and allegations about misuse of probe agencies by the BJP-led government.
"There's a word in Hindu religion- Shakti- we are fighting against shakti. We are fighting against a shakti...as someone said, the spirit of the king is in the EVM. That's right, the king's spirit is in the EVM, it is in every institution of India, ED, CBI, Income Tax department," he added.
Gandhi, while citing the example of a Maharashtra Congress leader who had quit the party, said, "senior leader from this state, when he leaves Congress cries and says to my mother, Sonia ji, I'm ashamed, I don't have the courage to fight this 'shakti', I don't want to go to jail."
"The shakti that I'm talking about, it held these politicians by the neck and took them over to the BJP side," he said.
Rahul Gandhi later accused PM Modi of trying to twist his words.
"Modi ji does not like my words. He tries to twist my statements and change the meaning, because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth," Gandhi said in a post on X. He later told mediapersons that Congress was fighting "hate-filled asuri Shakti".
PM Modi has continued to attack Rahul Gandhi over the remarks.
In his remarks at the rally, PM Modi also attacked the Congress over its manifesto, saying that it appears to be that of the Muslim League, not their own.
The Congress has already moved the Election Commission over PM Modi's remarks that its manifesto reflected the ideology of the Muslim League.
PM Modi said people made contributions for the construction of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla idol was held in January 22.
"INDI alliance parties have always hated the construction of the Ram Temple. Whatever you wanted to do in courts you did, but when the organisers invited you respectfully for the Pran Pratishtha but you rejected Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' invite and insulted Lord Ram. Those from their party who attended the ceremony were suspended from the party for 6 years...Congress is so deep into appeasement politics that they will never be able to come out of it. Congress' manifesto appears to be that of Muslim League's not their own," PM Modi said.
He urged the people to remember those who had committed the "sin".
PM Modi alleged that Congress and Samajwadi Party were "opposing" Citizenship Amendment Act due to politics of appeasement.
"If India will not give citizenship to the persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries, then who will?" he asked.
" to pay homage to the great valour and supreme sacrifice of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji , the younger sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh ji.
PM Modi said his government has started observing Veer Baal Diwas to pay tributes to great valour and supreme sacrifice of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, the younger sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
The PM said that it is his party that stands firmly with Sikhs, understanding their sentiments.
"We take pride in the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor serving millions of pilgrims. Removing GST on langar items, granting FCRA registration for Sri Harmandir Sahib and commemorating important Sikh festivals like the 550th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev, 400th Prakash Parv of Guru Teg Bahadur, and 350th Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh," PM Modi said.
He said sugarcane farmers suffered under Congress and the Samajwadi Party, both contesting the elections in the state in alliance.
"Who knows better than you how sugarcane farmers suffered under Congress and SP rule, The BJP government has diligently tackled the issues faced by sugarcane farmers, facilitating the opening and expansion of numerous sugar mills, with this effort ongoing," PM Modi added.
BJP has fielded Uttar Pradesh Public Works Minister Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit, replacing Varun Gandhi.
For the first time since 1989 when Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi won the Lok Sabha polls in Pilibhit as a Janata Dal candidate, a Gandhi family member is not fighting from this constituency. Maneka lost the 1991 election from here but after that, she and Varun have won seven consecutive elections from Pilibhit.
Pilibhit will vote in the first phase on April 19.
Jatin Prasada had won the Lok Sabha polls in 2004 on a Congress ticket from Shahjahanpur seat. In 2009, he won from Dhaurahara seat and was made Union minister in the Congress government. He joined BJP in 2021.
Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded Anis Ahmad Khan from the seat while Bhagwat Saran Gangwar is the Congress candidate.