Modi tears into Rahul's beehive remark, calls it insult

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Press Trust of India Ahmedabad
Last Updated : Apr 06 2013 | 8:55 PM IST
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today attacked Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for terming India a "beehive", saying he was shocked that someone could describe 'mother India' thus.
"I happened to listen to a speech by a Congress leader two days back, whose words are considered to be very important for that party. I was deeply shocked and pained when he compared India to beehive," Modi said here during the celebration of 33rd foundation day of BJP. He did not name the Congress scion.
"For you, this might be a beehive but for us this country is our mother. Hundred crore people of this country are our brothers and sisters. This is a sacred land of saints and seers. Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say every particle of this land is Lord Shankar for us," Modi said.
"Friends from Congress, please do not insult our country. If you do not understand the language of people of India, go and learn from somewhere. But due to your ignorance, do not try to destroy the culture and tradition of this country," Modi said.
BJP president Rajnath Singh too was present on the occasion.
"I never pay attention to speeches of any leaders as they are not worth listening to but when they try to play with our feelings we are pained," Modi went on to say, addressing the huge gathering of party workers at Sardar Patel stadium here.
At his recent speech at CII function in Delhi, Rahul had compared India and China, saying that while China is described as dragon and India as an elephant, India was really a beehive.
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First Published: Apr 06 2013 | 8:55 PM IST

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