Your dad died as corrupt No. 1; you can’t spoil my 50 yrs of tapasya: PM Modi to Rahul

Lucknow, May 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a venomous attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday during a rally in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the latter’s father and former Prime Minister, late Rajiv Gandhi, died as "Bhrastachari no. 1" (Corrupt No. 1).

"Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as ''Bhrashtachari No 1'' (corrupt number 1)," PM Modi said at a rally in Uttar Pradesh.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, during a visit to Sriperambadur in Tamil Nadu. In 2004, the Delhi High Court had quashed the bribery charges against Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr Modi then went on to praise himself. "By hurling abuses, you cannot turn the 50 long years of Modi's tapasya (struggle) into dust," the PM said.

"By tarnishing my image and by making me look small, these people want to form an unstable and a weak government in the country," PM Modi said.

PM Modi also criticised Rahul Gandhi and said, "The naamdaar must clearly listen that this Modi was not born with a golden spoon, nor was he born in any royal family."

PM Modi also said that Samajwadi Party and the Congress were playing a 'big game' against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati.

He said that Congress was sharing a stage with SP while Mayawati was targeting the Congress and its policies. The apparent reference was to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's presence at an SP meeting in Raebareli on Thursday.

"The SP is going soft on the Congress, but its alliance partner BSP chief Mayawati is attacking the Congress," Modi said in Pratapgarh.

In Basti, PM Modi accused the Opposition of playing vote bank politics. "The SP, BSP and Congress are the biggest example of how principles are trampled upon for power. They are so affected by the bad habit of getting their vote bank arithmetic right that they consider people just numbers," PM Modi said.