Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a “personal hatred” towards him, while claiming that he has only treated Modi with respect and love.

“It is a country that is filled with love,” Gandhi told NDTV while on the campaign trail in Madhya Pradesh. “He’s [Modi] filled with personal hatred. At public functions, I meet him with love. Even then he doesn’t reply. I talk to him respectfully. He doesn’t talk even then.”

On Modi’s recent criticism of his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said he knows the truth. “I know it’s all lies that he is spreading,” said Gandhi. “What difference does it make? It is okay if you say ‘naamdar’ [dynast]. It will be clear on May 23.”

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Over the last week, Modi has alleged that Rajiv Gandhi had used the warship INS Viraat to go on a vacation with his family when he was the prime minister, and also claimed that Rajiv Gandhi died as a corrupt man.

At a rally in Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Modi had hatred for his family. “He [Modi] speaks with hatred and anger about my father, my grandmother and my great grandfather, but I go and give them a hug,” he said. “You are a prime minister and you must remove hatred and work with love. They should know that hatred can only be conquered by love,” PTI quoted him as saying.

Gandhi also challenged Modi to a debate on corruption, demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax and farmers crisis, while acknowledging that the prime minister works hard and “sleeps for only three hours”, reported NDTV.

Gandhi said there was an ideological fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the progressive forces in the country during the ongoing elections. “We are fighting against the ideology that is a threat to the Constitution,” he said. “PM Modi is ignoring the intelligence of the RBI and announcing demonetisation... Wherever I go, the people of the country are saying that there is a force that is trying to control the country.”