Modi is 'Vish Guru', not 'Vishwa Guru'; never respected 'mangalsutra': Jairam Ramesh

Jaipur, Apr 23 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his speeches at recent election rallies, saying the language he used suggests that he is not a "Vishwa Guru" but a "Vish Guru".

Ramesh also said a person who never respected the 'mangalsutra' is now saying that the Congress will snatch women's 'mangalsutra'.

"Vishwa Guru" refers to a world leader. "Vish" means poison.

"The prime minister is speaking in a different language regarding our manifesto. And it is clear that he is nervous, in trouble, and has adopted the path of polarisation. His language is divisive and for polarisation," the Congress general secretary said at a press conference.

"The prime minister of the country can never use such language. But he is doing it. He considers himself a 'Vishwa Guru' but the language he has used in the last few days suggests that he is not a 'Vishwa Guru' but a 'Vish Guru'," he added.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on Sunday, Modi alleged the Congress planned to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children", referring to the grand old party's 'Nyay Patra' (manifesto).

"This thinking of urban Naxals ... My mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your 'mangalsutra'. They will go this far," he had said.

"It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" he said.

Modi was referring to former prime minister Manmohan Singh's controversial "first claim" remark made in 2006 that the minority community had the first right on the country's resources.

The Congress on Monday urged the Election Commission to take action against Modi for his remarks, alleging they were "divisive", "malicious" and targeted a particular religious community.

Ramesh said, "Modi is claiming that we will do this, we will do that ... about things which are not there at all in our 'Nyay Patra'. This is absolutely wrong and baseless. I want to refute this completely." "We have definitely mentioned at length about the economic inequality in our 'Nyay Patra'. They are spreading false propaganda that the Congress will take away 'mangalsutra'. The same person who never respected the 'mangalsutra' is today saying that we will take away the 'mangalsutra'," he added.

On the BJP's "400 paar" slogan, the Congress leader said, "The secret behind the slogan is that they want to make a new Constitution. Because, since 1950, the RSS has always been against Babasaheb's Constitution." Ramesh claimed the danger of "400 paar" is that it will be a mandate for them to amend the Constitution.

"If the Constitution is amended, then reservation for backward classes, scheduled castes, tribes, Dalits, tribals will end," Ramesh claimed.

The 2024 elections are to save democracy and the Constitution, the Congress leader said.

"We have come into this election to protect the basic principles of the Constitution, social justice and social empowerment," he said. PTI AG SZM