'Create apaman mantralaya': Priyanka mocks PM Modi over insult claims; slams Bihar NDA

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the PM should create an "apaman mantralaya" (Ministry of Insults), as he accuses all opposition leaders of insulting the country and Bihar.

"Instead of talking about development, the prime minister keeps accusing every opposition leader of insulting the country. He should form a new ministry, 'Apaman Mantralaya', because that's what his government seems most focused on," she said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd during a poll rally in Bihar's Sonabarsa.

Priyanka Vadra's remark was an apparent retort to PM Modi's attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whom he had accused of "insulting" Chhath Puja by "calling it a drama".



During a rally in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, Rahul Gandhi had taken a swipe at the Delhi BJP's preparation for Chhath Puja on the bank of the Yamuna, saying: “They staged a drama and showed the truth of India... The Yamuna has dirty water. If someone drank it, they would either get sick or die. No one can go inside. The water is so dirty that if you enter it, you would get sick or get an infection... But Modi staged a drama. He built a small pond there... They will show you anything for elections... A pipe is installed from behind. Clean water is poured into it... The problem arose that someone took a photo of the pipe.”

Later, PM Modi launched a blistering attack on Rahul Gandhi for allegedly insulting Chhathi Maiya, questioning: “Will Bihar and Hindustan forgive those who insulted even Chhathi Maiya for votes?”

“While your son Modi is trying to get Chhath registered on the Unesco heritage list, the Congress-RJD people are insulting Chhathi Maiya for votes. Will Bihar, Hindustan and the mothers and sisters who fast without water during Chhath tolerate such insults and not punish them?” Modi asked.

Addressing an election rally at Sonabarsa in Saharsa district, Priyanka Vadra alleged that the PM speaks on "unnecessary issues but doesn't utter a word on corruption or misrule of the NDA government in Bihar".

"Before announcing doles for Bihar during elections, Modi and Amit Shah should first answer what the NDA did for the state in the last 20 years," she said.

The Congress general secretary alleged that the Bihar government is being "remote-controlled" from Delhi.

"Nitish Kumar doesn't run the Bihar government. It is the prime minister and people at the Centre who are running the show," she said.

The NDA government in Bihar is threatening people's right to vote guaranteed by the Constitution, she alleged.

Slamming the ruling alliance over joblessness, she said, "The youth of Bihar are forced to leave the state because there are no jobs here. All major PSUs that used to generate employment have been handed over to big corporates that are friends of the BJP."

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