'My mother more Indian than many, she sacrificed for this country': Rahul Gandhi responds to PM's jibes

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'personal attacks' and a barb asking him to 'speak in his mother's mother-tongue'.

Addressing to media on the last day of campaign in Karnataka, when asked about the Modi attacking Sonia Gandhi over her Italian origin, Rahul said that he mother is more Indian than many.

At an election rally on May 1 Modi had dared Rahul Gandhi to talk for 15 minutes about the achievements of the Karnataka government in any language, including his "mother's mother tongue".

Whereas, recently, the BJP raked up the issue of Gandhi's Italian origin by referring to her maiden name Antonio Maino. "Today, Ms. Antonio Maino is here in K'taka to save her last citadel from falling!" BJP had tweeted.

"My mother is more Indian than many Indian people. My mother has sacrificed for this country, she has suffered for this country," Rahul said.

"He also said that it shows the quality of the PM when he makes these comments," he added.

The Congress chief also hit-back at Modi for consistently targetting him and said that the Prime Minister doesn't want to talk about development and distract the people.

"Modi attacked me only to 'distract' attention. He has nothing to say to the people of Karnataka on their future. Karnataka election is not about Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Hitting back at Modi for for saying that the party has no place for Dalits and backwards, Rahul said, "What does the PM have to say about the rising atrocities against Dalits? We had said that Dalits are being beaten upand& oppressed when Rohith Vemula is killed Modi Ji doesn't say a word. When Dalits are killed and humiliated in other parts of India, Modi Ji doesn't say anything. Congress will defend the rights of Dalits and raise this issue."

Gandhi also said that whatever comes out of PM's mouth is what is actually in his heart. He is absolutely convinced now, and he is right, that he is going to lose Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and he is going to lose 2019.

Earlier in the day, reaching out to Dalits and other backward communities in poll-bound Karnataka, Modi said his government was trying to fulfill B R Ambedkar's dream of a powerful and prosperous nation.

Hitting out at the ruling Congress in Karnataka, he said the party failed to confer the Bharat Ratna on Ambedkar when it was in power.

The high-voltage campaigning for the crucial Karnataka Assembly polls will come to an end on Thursday at 5 pm.

The election in Karnataka will be held on May 12 in 223 constituencies, out of 224 of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly while the counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15.