Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive with India TV on Tuesday, hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his 'dictator' jibe, saying "It was his favourite word from his vocabulary and he insults people of India by calling an elected PM a dictator."
"It was his favourite word (dictator)...when he uses this kind of language for an elected Prime Minister, he insults the citizens and voters of the country," he asserted.
The PM questioned, do you believe, the voters in India will ever elect a dictator to run the nation?
"Indian voters are wise. They saw what happened in 1975. They rooted out the dictatorship in two years. Indians are very democratic and values of democracy run in their blood," the PM said.
PM Modi further said he (Gandhi) is targeting a chief minister who ruled a state after landslide victories in elections and a prime minister who won two Lok Sabha elections with a record margin.
"He is insulting to the wisdom of voters and their commitment towards democracy," the prime minister added.
'I am the protector': PM on 'Constitution will be changed' allegations
Speaking on the opposition's allegations that if PM Modi gets a third term, he will change the Consitution, the PM said he is the protector of it (Constitution).
Earlier in the day, PM Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat after offering prayers at the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Kaal Bhairav temple in the holy city. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior BJP leaders were present at the collectorate when PM Modi filed his papers. He is eyeing a hat-trick in the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat.
Also read: PM Modi's EXCLUSIVE interview: 'Kashi is not a word for me, but an emotion'
