Bardoli (Gujarat): Rahul Gandhi today took a jibe at the oft-repeated claim of Narendra Modi's origins as tea vendor, saying all professions should be respected except those who make a “fool” of others.
“People are involved in various professions. Some make tea, others drive taxi, some are engaged in farming. We have to respect all of them.
“We have to respect the tea vendor, the labourer and the farmer. But those who make ‘ullu' (fool) of others, should not be respected,” Gandhi said addressing a rally here.
The comments were seen as a veiled attack on Modi who has been claiming in his public meetings that Indian democracy is a proof of welcoming people of humble origins like him, who had sold tea in railway station as a boy, in top positions.
Earlier this week, during an interaction with party spokespersons, Rahul had disapproved of personal attacks on rivals when someone raised Mani Shankar Aiyar's barb at the AICC session that Modi would never become prime minister but was free to distribute tea there.
The BJP latched on to Aiyar's remarks calling it an “insult” to tea vendors and is seeking to cash on it by launching a ‘chai pe charcha' (discussion over tea) in street corners.
