Modi dares Congress to fight polls in Rajiv Gandhi's name

New Delhi, May 06: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday defended his remark on Rajiv Gandhi and dared Congress to fight polls in the former prime minister's name in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab when they vote in the sixth phase.

"I challenge Congress party, the family of dynasts, their courtiers, their minions... If you have the guts, fight the Delhi polls for the honour of that former PM of the Congress, who had serious allegations against him and for whom you have been shedding tears for the last two days," he said.

"Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1' (corrupt number 1)," PM Modi had said, referring to Rajiv Gandhi, who got a clean chit from the Delhi High Court in the Bofors case 13 years after he was assassinated by terrorists.

The statement has invited intense criticism from several quarters over having crossed the limits of decency, especially, since it involved attacking a person who is no more.

Rahul Gandhi responded with a hug, and a warning on "karma". "Modi Ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you. All my love and a huge hug.

Rahul," tweeted the Congress chief, who made headlines last year by hugging the Prime Minister in parliament.

Union minister Arun Jaitley had shot back a series of tweets, questioning why Rahul Gandhi got so disturbed "if integrity issues of the Rajiv Gandhi Government are raised". For opposition leaders who questioned the Prime Minister's sense of decency in "speaking ill of the dead," he argued, "Indira Gandhi was also assassinated and yet Congress is questioned about Emergency and Operation Blue Star."