Katra (Jammu and Kashmir): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his "Devta" remarks made during his US visit and said "it is an insult to our faith" and "Congress should be punished for this".
He also accused Congress of "Naxal mindset" and alleged it had "insulted the Dogra culture of Jammu".
Addressing an election rally in Katra, PM Modi also accused Congress of deepening the divide between Jammu and Kashmir.
"In the name of mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love), he is selling nafrat ka saaman. Congress can put our faith and culture at stake for a few votes anytime. The Congress heir went abroad and said that our 'Devi-Devta' are not gods... It is an insult to our faith. Congress should be punished for this... They don't say all this just for the sake of it, or as a mistake. It is a planned conspiracy. It is a Naxal mindset that has been imported from other countries... This Naxal mindset of Congress insulted the Dogra culture of Jammu," PM Modi said.
"They do not see anything except their vote bank; that is why they only deepened the divide between Jammu and Kashmir over the years. They have always discriminated against Jammu... We have brought Jammu to the mainstream," he added.
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During an interaction in his visit to the United States, Rahul Gandhi said in India "a Devta doesn't mean a god, as many believe."
"Devta in India actually means a person whose internal feelings are exactly the same as his external expression, meaning he is a completely transparent being, it does not mean god. If a person tells me everything he believes or thinks and expresses it openly, that's the definition of a Devta...What's interesting about our politics is how do you suppress your own ideas, how do you suppress your own fears, greed, or ambitions and observe other people's fears and ambitions," he said.
In his remarks, PM Modi said BJP has prioritised growth in Jammu and Kashmir and sought to end the decade-long struggles of the people here.
"Kashmir is an important part of faith and cultural identity. We need a government that can respect and promote both of these aspects. Congress, for the sake of votes, will not hesitate to jeopardise our faith and culture," he said.
He said assembly polls will determine the future of Jammu and Kashmir and continued his attack on "three families".
"These elections are important to end the political legacy of the three families of Congress, NC and PDP which kept the state in ruins. To make this happen, the Lotus must bloom in Kashmir," PM Modi said.
The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir was held on September 18 on 24 assembly constituencies and saw a voter turnout of 61.13 pc.
Polling for the second and third phases in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Votes will be counted on October 8.
—ANI