Chhatarpur/UNI: Launching a stinging attack against the Congress on the issue of poverty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Thursday that mockery of the poor people has become the leading activity of the grand old party’s bigwigs.

Addressing a public meeting in this district headquarters of election-bound Madhya Pradesh, the visiting dignitary – without naming erstwhile Congress President Rahul Gandhi and its incumbent General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – averred, “Congress leaders born with silver spoons in their mouths indulged in poverty tourism. They had photographs taken within slum clusters.

"Immaculately-dressed leaders were seen posing for photo sessions with underprivileged and malnourished children. Videos were made of them having meals with the people living in penury, who were quite simply forgotten after the Congress bigwigs returned to Delhi.”

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of having a "slave mentality", and underlined that the party was not bothered with Bharat’s heritage and never experienced pride over the supreme sacrifice of Rani Durgavati.

“For the Congress dispensation, the entire country appeared restricted to the national capital. Schemes were announced within plush chambers in New Delhi, foreign dignitaries arrived there, major programmes were conducted in that city alone,” Modi emphasised.

If Congress heads ever took their friends from abroad anywhere outside Delhi they showed them Bharat’s penury, he alleged and quipped that Congress members possess expertise in “employing the reverse gear” and would do so with regard to Madhya Pradesh's “development vehicle” if provided any opportunity.

“The Congress is a master at converting good governance into malgovernance. Every scheme and every policy of theirs is to the country’s detriment. Beware of that party and make it thirst for power for a century; only then will they see reason.

"Whenever Congress makes massive promises, believe that it is preparing to administer sweet poison to you. This has happened in several states. That narrow-minded party’s ‘hand’ only snatches from the needy,” the Prime Minister stressed.