Rahul's dig at Modi: We respect tea-vendors, but not those who make a fool of people

NEW DELHI: Slamming Narendra Modi's development claims, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that it is his party which has always worked towards the development of poor. "Development in the state is a collective effort, one man can't take credit for all of it," he said.

Addressing a rally in Gujarat's Bardoli, Rahul said, "With a Rs 11 poverty line, BJP is mocking the poor in Gujarat." "We want to wipe out poverty, BJP govt in Gujarat wants to wipe out the poor," he added.

Taking a dig at Modi, Rahul said, "We should respect everyone, be it a tea-vendor or a car driver. Everyone does work. However, we cannot respect someone who makes a fool of common people."

"Congress has brought people out of poverty. Congress got the Lokpal Bill passed. Congress wants to pass anti-corruption bills," he said. "There was no Lokayukta in Gujarat for 9 years. People in Gujarat first go to jail and then become ministers," he added.

Rahul also called the RSS ideology poisonous saying, "Modi has worked all his life for RSS and now wants to build a statue of Sardar Patel."

Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi disapproved of personal attacks on Opposition leaders, indicating that the Congress leadership was not happy with Mani Shankar Aiyar's recent "chaiwala" jibe at Narendra Modi.

"It is wrong to make personal attacks on opposition," the Congress Vice President told a meeting of party spokespersons called to elicit suggestions on how best to get the message of Congress across to people in the coming Lok Sabha elections. He, however, did not name Aiyar.