Why are children malnourished in Gujarat? Kharge asks 'chieftain of liars'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "chieftain of liars" who tries to gain sympathy by calling himself poor and claiming that people abuse him.

Addressing a public rally at Dediapada in the tribal-dominated Narmada district in Gujarat, where Assembly elections are scheduled for December 1 and 5, Kharge said he comes from the "poorest of the poor and (belongs to) untouchable caste".

"Modiji and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah ask what Congress did in 70 years? Had we not done anything in 70 years, you would not have got democracy. And people like you who always claim to be poor.

"I am also poor. I am from the poorest of the poor. I come from the untouchable caste. At least people drink your tea. People do not even drink my tea," he said.

Kharge alleged that PM Modi was trying to gain sympathy by playing a victim card.

"And then you say, I (Modi) am poor, someone had abused me, told me something, questioned my 'haisiyat' (status). If you are trying to gain sympathy by saying such things, you should (understand) that people are now intelligent. They are not that foolish (to not understand)," he said.

"How many times have you told a lie? Lie after lie. He (Modi) is 'jhoothon ka sardar' (chieftain of liars).

He said that until 20-30 years ago, the offices of BJP did not even have the photo of B.R. Ambedkar.

"They (BJP) are in power (in Gujarat) for the last 27 years but people are still dying of hunger. Most children are malnourished. They have worked to fatten Adani and Ambani, what will they do for children?" he asked.

Kharge also posed questions to the prime minister regarding "30 lakh vacancies" in government departments.

"Now with elections approaching, you are talking about giving jobs. Modiji is distributing certificates of appointment, something that is done by the clerk of concerned departments," he said.

Listen to the full speech here: