New Delhi: The Congress and BJP entered a slugfest on Monday over Lalu Yadav’s controversial remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the ruling party launching ‘Modi Ka Parivar’ campaign on social media. As several ministers added the suffix on their social media handles to show support for PM Modi, the Congress claimed the campaign displays a shift in the BJP leaders’ loyalty towards ‘Modi Parivar’ from ‘Sangh Parivar’.

In Sunday’s Patna event, Lalu Yadav said PM Modi had no family and he was not a true Hindu. In reaction to the remark, several leaders, including Amit Shah and JP Nadda, added ‘Modi ka Parivar’ suffix on their social media accounts, indicating that they were PM Modi’s family.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took a jibe at PM Modi after BJP launched the campaign, saying “now they cannot talk about parivarvad (nepotism)”.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said the BJP’s ethics and principles have changed.

“They are only trying to befool everyone. Earlier, they used to say that the country comes first, then the party and then the leader. Earlier, it was the Sangh Parivar, now it is the Modi Parivar,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Opposition is jealous of PM Modi.

“For years, we all have been seeing that they (the opposition) have given disrespectful and offensive statements against PM Modi with a feeling of jealousy, grudge, and inferiority complex. Yesterday in a rally (RJD’s ‘Jan Vishwas Rally’) in Patna, Lalu Prasad Yadav again gave an offensive remark about PM Modi and his family. I want to remind everyone that for him (PM Modi) the family is the entire country,” he said.

PM Modi reacts to Lalu’s jibe

Reacting to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s comments, Modi, at a rally in Adilabad in Telangana on Monday, said, “I question their dynastic politics, they say Modi does not have a family, my life is an open book…I will live for my country.”

Lalu Yadav, during his Jan Vishwas Maha Rally on Sunday, claimed Modi isn’t a true Hindu because he didn’t tonsure his head when his mother passed away.

“What can we do if Narendra Modi does not have a family of his own? He keeps bragging about the Ram temple. He is not even a true Hindu. In Hindu tradition, a son must shave his head and beard upon the demise of his parents. Modi did not do so when his mother died,” he had said.