‘I am servant of people’: PM Modi on Congress veteran Mistry’s ‘aukaat’ attack | Gujarat Election News

RAJKOT/SURAT: PM Narendra Modi on Monday projected himself as a “servant of the people” without any pretensions to greatness, saying those in Congress aiming to show him his “aukaat (place)” ought to move on from name-calling to taking on BJP in elections on the basis of performance. “Shouldn’t development issues like water and electricity be discussed during elections? We are ready to give an account of our work, but Congress is shying away from highlighting these issues as the party knows very well that it will be completely bulldozed by BJP’s track record,” Modi said during a rally in Surendranagar’s Dudhrej village.

He was alluding to Congress veteran and ex-Rajya Sabha MP Madhusudan Mistry’s remark over the weekend that his party’s manifesto promise to rename Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium to Sardar Patel Stadium was meant toput the PM in his place.
“They are saying they will show Modi his aukaat. Look at their arrogance. You all hail from affluent families, but I come from a humble family. I have no such stature. I am a servant and what stature does a servant have?” the PM said, reminding the gathering that he had been previously branded by Congress as “neech (lowly)”, “maut ka saudagar (merchant of death)” and “gandi naali ka keeda (sewer worm)”. Modi said he had been tolerating the torrent of abuse from the opposition only because he wanted to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians.

In Jambusar town of tribal-dominated Bharuch district, Modi accused Congress of never acknowledging the existence of tribals across the country. The PM pointed out that this was the reason the country didn’t have a separate ministry for tribal welfare until the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led coalition came to government.
Modi also accused Congress functionaries of scoffing at tribal attire. “Till recently, if someone gave me a tribal turban or I wore an Adivasi jacket, they would make fun of me. They always insult tribals. One can’t imagine Congress doing anything good either for Gujarat or tribals. ”

Targeting Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Modi said people who had been “dethroned” were desperately trying to regain lost ground by going on a march with those who had worked against public interest.
“They are walking shoulder to shoulder with people who stalled the Narmada project for over 30 years through litigation, keeping Gujarat parched,” he said without naming Rahul or anti-dam activist Medha Patkar.