Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday claimed that the Congress hates him so much that it now dreams of killing him.

“The Congress people have so much hatred for your Modi that they are even dreaming of killing Modi,” the prime minister said at a rally in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh. “But they are forgetting that people from Madhya Pradesh and India are batting for me.”

He was referring to an alleged statement of a Congress leader.

Modi called the Congress a dishonest party and claimed it was only sincere in propagating dynastic rule and corruption, PTI reported. “The BJP works in a mission mode for overall development of the country,” he said. “The Congress works for welfare of new generation of dynasts.”

Advertisement

The prime minister criticised Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for praising Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. Modi said Sri Lanka, where 253 people were killed in serial blasts last month, had banned Naik’s TV channel because of his provocative speeches, The Indian Express reported.

“He is the same Zakir Naik who Diggy Raja [Digvijaya Singh] would never tire of praising,” Modi said. “You will be startled to know that the Congress government invited Naik to address police officers on the issue of terrorism. People like Diggy Raja carry Naik, whose words provoke terror blasts in Sri Lanka, on their shoulders and dance. The Congress should die of shame. It’s the height of vote bank [politics].”

Modi claimed Pakistan was still bleeding from the air strikes in Balakot. “Terrorists used to train openly in Pakistan but now they have no option but to hide underground,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying. “Pakistan has been robbed of sleep because of Modi. Guardians of terrorism are praying that Modi should be stopped or removed. People are confident that Modi will come back to power.”