Modi says Congress stopping him from hailing 'Bharat mata'

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged that the Congress party was trying to stop him from raising ‘Bharat mata ki jai slogan in election rallies.

Addressing a rally here, Modi said that the Congress party's "naamdar" (an allusion to Congress President Rahul Gandhi) had issued a "fatwa" against him to stop him from saying ‘Bharat mata ki jai'.

Modi raised the slogans multiple times before he began his speech.

"Who are they (Congress) to stop the youth of this country from hailing Bharat mata? This is a slogan jawans raise while conducting surgical strikes (across LoC)," Modi said.

He claimed that some senior Congress leaders stop people from raising such slogans in their meetings and instead ask people to say ‘Sonia Gandhi ki jai'.

Rajasthan is due to vote for a new Assembly on December 7.

Earlier, addressing an election rally at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi said Modi shouts "Bharat mata ki jai' in every rally but it sounds "hollow" coming from him.

He said Modi did not talk about issues of farmers, women and youth -- who comprise ‘Bharat mata' - and only raised slogans.-IANS