Modi trying to appear humbler than me: Gehlot's dig at PM

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday (October 1) took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for kneeling down before a gathering in Sirohi, saying the prime minister wanted to appear humbler than him.

He advised the prime minister to give the message of brotherhood and love to the people instead of indulging in such “antiques”.

Also read: Cong prez poll: All senior leaders will back Kharge, says Gehlot

On Friday, Modi who reached the venue at Abu Road of Sirohi late due, said he wouldn’t be addressing the gathering there as it would be flouting the loudspeaker rules. He, however, knelt down thrice before the gathering and apologised for not being able to address them.

“He (Modi) knows that in Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot has the image of a very humble man…a simple man. This has been my image since childhood. How will Modi ji contest this? He wanted to appear humbler than me,” Gehlot told reporters in Bikaner.

The chief minister said in addition to being humble, Modi should also give the message of brotherhood and love to the countrymen. “But he does not give this message. He is not following my advice. And what do you want to convey by kneeling down thrice?” Gehlot said during the district-level Rajiv Gandhi Rural Olympic sports in Bikaner. He said if Modi had appealed to the people to spread harmony, he would have called up the prime minister and congratulated him. “Why only kneel down? Just to convey that I am also humble just like Ashok Gehlot?” he said.

Gehlot of late has been in the news for being the Gandhis’ first choice of candidate for the Congress’ upcoming presidential polls. He, however, lost the backing of the party high command after his loyalists rebelled against the decision to elevate Sachin Pilot as the Rajasthan Chief Minister once Gehlot becomes the Congress president.