Congress has issued a 'fatwa' to stop me from hailing 'Bharat Mata': PM Narendra Modi

SIKAR: Sharpening his attack on the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged that the main opposition party was trying to stop him from raising 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan during election rallies.

Addressing a huge gathering of supporters in poll-bound Rajasthan's Sikar, the PM alleged that the Congress party`s ''naamdar" (an allusion to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi) had issued a "fatwa" against him to stop him from saying `Bharat Mata Ki Jai`.

''Congress has come up with a fatwa that I should not begin rallies with "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". How can they deny this? They must be ashamed of even saying such a thing. This shows their disrespect for our motherland,'' the PM said.

PM Narendra Modi in Sikar, Rajasthan: Congress has come up with a "fatwa" that I should not begin rallies with "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". How can they deny this? They must be ashamed of even saying such a thing. This shows their disrespect for our motherland. #RajasthanElections pic.twitter.com/wIEOfynRC3 — ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2018

PM Modi earlier raised the slogans multiple times before beginning his speech.

"Who are they (Congress) to stop the youth of this country from hailing 'Bharat Mata'? This is a slogan 'jawans' raise while conducting surgical strikes (across LoC)," PM Modi said.

PM in Sikar, Rajasthan: Desh ke jawan surgical strike karke aaye toh poora desh josh aur jazbe se bhara tha par Congress mein aise lag raha tha jaise koi shok sabha hai.Aapne jab khabar suni apko shak hua? Congress office mein baithe 'naamdar' keh rahe the Modi jhuth bol rahe ho pic.twitter.com/KJS6wCkDrz — ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2018

The PM continued to attack Congress by saying that some of its leaders stop people from raising such slogans in their meetings and instead ask people to say `Sonia Gandhi Ki Jai`.

Earlier, addressing an election rally at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi shouts "Bharat Mata Ki Jai` in every rally but it sounds "hollow" coming from him.

The Gandhi scion said that PM Modi did not talk about issues of farmers, women and youth - who comprise 'Bharat Mata' - and only raised slogans.

It may be recalled that Rajasthan is due to vote for a new Assembly on December 7.