'Don't talk about superstitious things like 'black magic' to hide...': Rahul Gandhi schools Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "black magic" remark has not gone down well with the Congress party. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at PM Modi saying he must "stop lowering the dignity" of the PM's post by talking about such superstitious things. Gandhi's attack came a day after Prime Minister Modi lashed out at the Congress for wearing black dresses on August 5 in protest against price rise, saying those who believe in "kala jadu" will never be able to win the trust of the people again. Attacking him, Gandhi asked if the prime minister was unable to see inflation or unemployment in the country. "Stop lowering the dignity of the prime minister's post and misleading the country by talking about superstitious things like 'black magic' to hide your black deeds, prime minister-ji," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. "You will have to give answers on people's issues," the former Congress chief added.

In a veiled reference to Congress leaders' protest in black clothes against price rise, PM Modi said at an event that there was an attempt to spread the 'black magic' mentality. The Prime Minister said those who think that by wearing black clothes, their period of despair will end, they are unaware that irrespective of the black magic and their belief in superstitions, people's trust will never be restored in them. Addressing a function in Panipat via video-conferencing to dedicate the second-generation ethanol plant worth Rs 900 crore, Modi had said, "On August 5, we saw how some people tried to spread 'black magic'. These people think that by wearing black clothes they can end their despondency. But they do not know that by engaging in witchcraft, black magic and superstition, they cannot earn the trust of people again," Modi had said.

The PM also said that there are some people in the country who are trapped in the vortex of negativity, immersed in despair. "Even after lying against the government, the public is not ready to trust such people. In desperation, these people are also seen turning towards black magic," Modi said. The Congress hit back at the prime minister over his 'kala jadu' (black magic) remark, saying while the country wants him to talk about their problems but "jumlajeevi" keeps saying just anything.