Congress's partnership with Pakistan exposed: PM Modi
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mounted a sharp attack against the Congress, saying that the "Congress and Pakistan's partnership" has been "exposed."
He added that the leaders in Pakistan are "offering duas" for Rahul Gandhi to become India's prime minister.
Addressing a rally in Anand, Gujarat, Modi said Pakistan "has been crying" as the Congress—which "only handed terror dossiers" to Pakistan—continues to lose ground in India.
This came after Chaudhary Fawad Hussain—a former Pakistani minister praised Gandhi recently.
Waning power
Modi highlights Congress's declining influence in India
To recall, on Wednesday, Hussain shared a video of Gandhi on X with the text, "Rahul on fire."
During his Thursday's speech PM Modi said, "The Congress is becoming weak in the country...We can't find them even when we look through a microscope, but you see, the Congress is finishing here, and Pakistan is crying on the other hand."
"Pakistani leaders are offering duas to make Shehzada (Gandhi) the prime minister," he added.
Counter-terrorism approach
Modi criticizes previous Congress government's terrorism strategy
Modi criticized the previous Congress government's handling of terrorism, contrasting it with his government's "proactive approach."
He stated, "When the Congress government was in power and terror acts happened, they (the Congress) used to give dossiers to the aakas (commanders) of terrorism...But the Modi government does not waste time giving any dossiers...we get into their homes and kill them."
All 26 seats of Gujarat will go to poll on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Statement
BJP pressured ex-Pakistan minister to praise Gandhi: Congress leader
Separately, Congress leader Rashid Alvi slammed PM Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party over Hussain's remark.
"The statement by Fawad Chaudhry is done under pressure by Nawaz Sharif and his brother's government. PM Modi has very good relations with...Sharif. This statement has come so that our PM can exploit it. BJP has relations (with Pakistan). Manmohan Singh, Rahul...Sonia Gandhi never went to Pakistan...The people who want to take benefit from his (Hussain's) statement have pressurized him..." he said.