Modi accuses Sonia Gandhi of 'appeasement politics', latter returns jibe saying BJP promotes 'hatred'

The PM's attack referred to a statement by Congress leader Salman Khurshid from 2012 that Sonia Gandhi, who was at the helm of the party at the time, had "wept bitterly" when she was shown images of the Batla House encounter.

PM Modi's statements came on a day when voting was completed in more than half of the Lok Sabha seats and hours after Sonia Gandhi accused him as well as the BJP of promoting hatred for political gain.

The PM also took a dig at a claim by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar that one of the heroes of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, former Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, was not by killed Ajmal Kasab -  the lone terrorist was caught alive - but a policeman affiliated to the RSS.

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Beed on Tuesday, Modi said the Maharashtra Congress is giving a clean chit to terrorists involved in the attacks.

"It seems the Congress is supporting all 10 terrorists, including Kasab, who came from Pakistan. The nation wants to ask what the relationship between Congress and terrorists is called. The country has not forgotten when terrorists were welcomed into the Prime Minister's residence during the Congress' rule," he said.

Without taking Sonia's name, he said, "The country also saw the day when the party's biggest leader wept for terrorists killed during the Batla House encounter in Delhi. The INDI alliance, which wants to bring such days back to the country, should remember that Modi is standing in front of you like a rock."

PM Modi claimed the INDIA alliance plans to put "mission cancel" in motion if it comes to power and will bring back Article 370, roll back the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Triple Talaq law and even stop the distribution of free ration to the poor. 

The Prime Minister said in order to continue appeasement politics, the chief opposition party had another big agenda was the "cancellation of" the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"A veteran Congress leader, who was with the party for 20-25 years and joined the BJP recently, has made a shocking revelation. He said that when the court had ruled in favour of the construction of the Ram temple (in 2019), the 'shahzada' (Rahul Gandhi) organised a meeting of his key people, where he said that the Congress would overturn the Supreme Court order when it forms the government," he claimed.

He said Rahul Gandhi's father, Rajiv Gandhi, had also overturned the Supreme Court judgment in the Shah Bano case in 1985 in keeping with the appeasement politics followed by the Congress.

Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi issued a video message in which she said that the BJP's only goal was to gain power at any cost and that it has promoted hatred for political gain.

"In every part of the country, the youth are facing unemployment, women are enduring atrocities, and Dalit, adivasis and the backward castes are suffering intense discrimination. This environment is because of the intentions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, who want to win power at any cost. They are promoting hatred for political gain," she said.

"The Congress Party and I have always fought to strengthen the country and ensure the progress of all as well as justice for the deprived. Today, I am seeking your support once again. Our Nyay Patra (manifesto) and our guarantees are aimed at keeping the country united and giving strength to the poor, women, farmers, workers and deprived communities," she said.