PM Modi hits back at Rahul Gandhi's 'shakti' remarks: ‘I accept the challenge'

Training his guns at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's ‘shakti’ remark PM Narendra Modi said, “For me, every mother, daughter & sister is a form of ‘shakti’.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his ‘shakti’ (power) remarks saying every mother and daughter is a form of ‘shakti’ in the country. Modi was addressing a Lok Sabha election rally in Telangana's Jagtial.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins hands while addressing the crowd in Telangana.(PTI)

"The INDI alliance in their manifesto said that their fight is against 'shakti'. For me, every mother, daughter and sister is a form of 'shakti'. I worship them in the form of 'shakti'. I am the worshiper of Bharat Mata...Their manifesto is to finish 'shakti', and I accept the challenge...'Main jaan ki baazi laga dunga'...," Modi said.

The prime minister further talked of how the landing point of the Chandrayaan-3 was also named ‘Shiv Shakti’. "Can someone talk about the destruction of 'shakti'?...We dedicated the success of the Chandrayaan mission by naming the point where Chandrayaan landed as 'Shiv Shakti'...The fight is between those who want to destroy 'shakti' and those who worship 'shakti'...'Muqabla 4 June ko ho jaaega'...," he added.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi took on the NDA regime comparing them to the Hindu symbol of ‘shakti,’ often associated with Maa Durga, and declaring the opposition’s fight against it.

“In Hinduism, there is a term called ‘shakti’. We are fighting against that shakti. The question is, what is that shakti? The soul of the king in the EVM and every institution of the country, in ED, CBI and Income Tax department,” said Rahul Gandhi.

Attacking the prime minister, Rahul Gandhi said, “Modi is a mask’ who works for a shakti’. He is a shallow man who doesn’t have a 56-inch chest."

Irked by his remarks, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya called Rahul Gandhi "a Hinduphobic and misogynist". Amit Malviya also reminded people of how another prominent leader of the INDIA bloc Udhayanidhi Stalin issued statements against Sanatan Dharm.

“After DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin called for the annihilation of Sanatan Dharma, it is now Rahul Gandhi’s turn to denigrate Shakti. Maa Durga embodies the diverse aspects of Shakti, or power, known by various names like Sati, Parvati, Uma, Durga, Kali, Gauri, Tripura Sundari, Shivangi, Mahadevi, and more. She is considered the primal power (adi shakti) of the Lord, responsible for creation, sustenance, and destruction. As the creative power (Shrishti shakti) of Brahma, the sustaining power (paalan shakti) of Vishnu, and the destruction force (samhaar shakti) of Lord Shiva, she is revered as the mother figure in Hindu belief. Shakti also signifies women empowerment,” Malviya wrote on X.