Live: Modi hits back at Rahul for 'toffee' comment at Hazaribagh rally

Hazaribagh: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for dubbing Gujarat development model as a ‘toffee model', Narendra Modi today compared the Congress Vice President with children and said the word ‘toffee' has caught his fancy after he repeatedly spoke about ‘balloon'.Addressing a rally here, Modi said he thought serious issues would be discussed in this election and the galaxy of BJP leaders including L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Jaitley and Murli Manohar Joshi were speaking on various subjects.”But on the other side, there is a player whose mind doesn't move away from childishness. Such an important election about the country's future but for ten days, a word that gripped him was ‘balloon'. For ten days he kept repeating it. However, children don't stick to a toy for too long and now he has caught the word ‘toffee'.”Now you tell me what to do. I am not of an age where I can play with balloons,” Modi said in a clear dig at Rahul who yesterday dubbed the Gujarat model of development as ‘toffee' model contending that land was given to few industrialists at throwaway prices.He said it was for the people to decide whether or not they wanted those who play with balloons and crave for toffees.The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said that as a child who sold tea, he had not got toffees but had his sights set on trophies. Modi also used the book authored by former adviser to PM Sanjaya Baru to take a jibe at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.He said he had been attacking Singh but now realises that the Prime Minister did not have the real power which lay with ”one family”, a reference to Gandhi family. ”I may have used some strong words against Singh over the last 10 years. But after reading the book, I feel I should not have attacked him because he was not at fault. The entire fault lies with mother and son (Sonia and Rahul),” Modi said.“It would have been better, if I had not said those words because now it is clear, he had no fault. The entire responsibility rests on one family. It is all the work of mother-son or sometimes of the daughter and son-in -law”, Modi claimed adding that they had ruined the country.The BJP leader cited the unhappiness expressed by Singh's daughter Upender Singh over the disclosures made by Baru. “She is annoyed that Baru had revealed the inside story. This means that whatever Baru wrote is correct.”The BJP leader also accused UPA of being responsible for the plight of the farmers and soldiers.Exhorting the youth, he said it was a very important election for those in the 18-28 years age group. Here are the live updates of Narendra Modi's rally in Hazaribagh12:16: Modi ends his speech12:14: Modi: So my youngsters vote and make people vote so that we don't get this kind of government again that is remote controlled. Vote to make a strong government. Press on lotus. You have lotus in your heart, lips and mind. But it should be in your hands on the 17th of April as to press the EVM button in BJP's favor. 12:11: Modi: I want to speak to all you youngsters. 12th exams define a child's future. If a child gets stuck in this then he is stuck forever. Similarly, elections are directly linked to your life. If you miss this then you will have to wait for another 5 years. If you miss it – what will you do? 12:11: Modi: Contradictory to Lal Bahadur Shatri's slogan, mother and son's government believes in mar jawan mar kisan. 12:09pm: Modi: Whatever is he cost of production, farmers will get profit on it and benefit from minimum support price. Lal Bahadur Shastri used to say – Jai Jawan Jai Kisan…but in Congress' rule of mother and son – our jawans are being killed, their heads are chopped off. And my farmers commit suicide at a large scale. 12:08: Modi: We are going to systematize minimum support price. Government officials loot farmers through this as per the present scheme. We will create some parameters for it. 12:07: Modi: Nowadays BJP gets support from the air too. 12:07: (Modi pauses as a helicopter's sound distracts him )12:05: Modi: For India's development – Atalji introduced PM gram sadak yojana. This was one of his biggest projects. We have mentioned this scheme in our manifesto especially for my farmers, who depend entirely on agriculture. Similarly our main work will be PM Sichai Yojana. 12:04: Modi: What childish acts are they up to…? I have scarcity of time so I want to stress on just a few things – UPA blocked Atal Behari Vajpayee's work. We will take them forward. 12:02: Modi: You (voters) have to decide if you want just toffees and balloons? Those people's day will be made if they get toffees. But I have grown out of it. 12:02: Modi: Some people have not grown up despite their age. Where is the future of India heading? Rahul goes on and on talking about balloons. Now these people are obsessed with toffee. 11:58pm: Modi begins his speech as the multitude erupts in cheers.