Gujarat Assembly Election 2022: 'I have no 'aukat' as I am merely a servant', PM Modi returns Congress barb

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the Congress over "aukat" remarks and pitched himself as a "servant" of people with no royal lineage as he took a dig at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying those who are no longer ruling are taking out foot-march to get back to power.

Modi, on the third day of his campaigning for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat where Assembly polls will take place next month, also slammed the Opposition party for ignoring tribals, saying its leaders remained oblivious of existence of adivasis for a very long time even though they have been living in the country since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.

The PM addressed poll rallies at Surendranagar, Navsari and Jambusar (Bharuch district) in support of BJP candidates 10 days before the first phase of polling on December 1.

At the Surendranagar gathering, the BJP's top campaigner said instead of talking about development during elections, the opposition Congress is saying it will show him his "aukat" (status).

"Now, the Congress does not talk about development during elections. Instead, Congress leaders are saying they will show Modi his 'aukat'. Just look at their arrogance.

They, indeed, belong to a royal family, while I am merely a servant having no aukat," he asserted. "In the past, the Congress had used words like 'neech aadmi' (a vile man) , 'maut ka saudagar' and 'naali ka keeda' for me. I urge you to talk about development instead of playing this game of 'aukat'," the PM said, adding he swallows such insults because his focus is to make India a developed nation.

Modi said people who were dethroned long back were taking out yatra to get back the power.

"Some people are doing foot-march to get back to power. They are also taking along those who had stalled the Narmada project for 40 years through litigation and kept Gujarat thirsty for 40 years.

In this election, the people of Gujarat will punish those who are doing this padyatra. People will also punish those who were against the Narmada project", he said without taking any names.

Modi was referring to Narmada Bachao Andolan spearhead Medha Patkar joining the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra recently. He said there was a time when people of this region were suffering from acute water shortage.

"At that time, I (as Gujarat CM) had vowed to improve this situation. I had said that Surendranagar district will be the biggest beneficiary of the Narmada project. And today, I stand validated because this region is getting that benefit," Modi said.

In another jibe on Gandhi, the PM said leaders who are doing padyatra do not know the difference between groundnut and cottonseed crops. Without taking names, he further said some people abuse Gujarat even after eating the "salt" manufactured in the state.

Modi said though Gujarat produces 80 per cent of the country's salt, the previous Congress governments never paid attention to the issues of salt pan workers, known as 'agariyas'. The people of Surendranagar district had "made a mistake" of giving some seats to the Congress in 2017, he said, adding the opposition MLAs did nothing good for their constituencies.

Canvassing for the BJP in Jambusar town in tribal-dominated Bharuch district, the Prime Minister said leaders of the Congress often mocked him for wearing traditional tribal attire at public functions.

"For a very long time, Congress leaders remained unaware of the existence of tribals in India. Weren't they living here since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna?.. Weren't they part of the 1857 mutiny? Tribals did so many things for this country. But, Congress leaders never knew that Adivasis exist," said Modi, wooing tribal voters.

"Otherwise, why was there no separate ministry for tribals until Atal Bihari Vajpayee became prime minister? It was Atalji's government at the Centre which set up a separate ministry and allocated a budget for their welfare.

Even today, Congress leaders make fun of me for wearing tribal attire," he said at the rally.

The Prime Minister, who is campaigning in his home state since November 19, said adivasis cannot expect the Congress to improve their condition because its leaders mock tribal outfits and insult them at regular intervals.

"While past Congress candidates left tribals to fend for themselves in Gujarat, it was the BJP that, after coming to power, resolved their issues such as education, health, malnutrition and employment among others," he added.

Campaigning in Gujarat on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district they are the "first owners" of the country but BJP was trying to take away their rights.

Speaking at another rally in Navsari town, the PM said no one had imagined Gujarat could become the top state in terms of development as it faced droughts and other issues, but the people ensured the turnaround by repeatedly electing the BJP and rejecting "false propaganda and lucrative promises".

"In the past, people used to say Gujarat can't progress because it lacked natural resources, it has a long coastline. That it has the desert on one side and Pakistan on the other side. (They used to say) Gujarat faces droughts frequently. In addition, Gujarat used to suffer due to frequent communal riots and curfews," said Modi, who served as the chief minister of the state (2001-2014) before assuming the Prime Minister's office.

Today, Gujarat has the best roads, 24-hour electricity, tap water connection, and many other basic amenities, he said. The BJP government had introduced Sagar Khedu Scheme for the welfare of fishermen and also extended benefits of Kisan Credit Cards, he said. "We have recently introduced a drone policy. This will also benefit fishermen.

They can use drones to transport the catch to nearby cities from the coastline. This will make available fresh fish in cities and thus increase fishermen's income," Modi added.

Voting to elect a new 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases -- December 1 (89 seats) and 5 (93 seats) -- and ballots will be counted on December 8.

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