You are descendants of Motilal: Narendra Modi to Rahul Gandhi

Two days ahead of the voting in the first phase of assembly elections in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi  lashed out at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for a remark at his Jamnagar rally that the state assembly met for just 25 days in a year.

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that the state legislative assembly did business only for 25 days in a year, Modi said: “From May 2011 to May 2012, Rahul Gandhi’s attendance in the Lok Sabha was 24 out of 85 sittings. From 2010 to 2011, it was 19 out of 72 sittings.”

“If he had respect for parliament, he would have gone for all sittings,” Modi said.

“If Rahul Gandhi had so much love for the Vidhan Sabha, he should know that in Gujarat the assembly has debated issues for days on end but the attitude of the Congress has not been positive,” Modi said.

“We discuss issues for many days and bills are passed. But sadly the Congress does not respect the Vidhan Sabha also,” he said.

“After detailed discussions in the Vidhan Sabha, files are sent to Raj Bhavan for the governor’s signature,” Modi said, adding that Raj Bhavan had been “converted to Congress Bhavan” by the party.

“Today Rahul Gandhi said he was closely related to Mahatma Gandhi. He was not even born then (when Mahatma Gandhi was alive),” Modi said at the rally.

He later posted on micro-blogging site Twitter: “If Rahul baba is walking on Gandhiji’s path, why is Bapu’s first wish incomplete: to disband the Congress after independence?”

On Rahul Gandhi’s narration of Mahatma Gandhi sleeping on the floor in Anand Bhavan in Allahabad, Modi said: “It was Mahatma Gandhi’s greatness and his affection towards (Jawaharlal) Nehru that he slept on the floor. But the real issue is that Motilal Nehru slept on the bed when his son (Jawaharlal Nehru) was in jail.”

Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Modi added: “You are descendants of Motilal.”