LS Polls: Rahul Gandhi insulted his own party leader over caste: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of insulting his own party's district president by allegedly asking the local leader to be his barber because of his caste.

PM Modi referred to a media report that claimed that Mr Gandhi, in a lighter vein, had invited Bikaner district president Mahendra Gehlot to Delhi to cut his hair when he came to know that he was from a caste of barbers.

However, Mr Gehlot has rejected the charge against Mr Gandhi, saying the Congress chief had not made any negative comment but had praised him.

The BJP had held a demonstration over the alleged insult.

"This is the realty of the Congress. They are amused by insulting 'kaamgar' (workers). A barber, tea maker, everyone earns livelihood by their skills," he said, calling Mr Gandhi a "naamdar" (dynast).

He said that Rahul Gandhi's remarks are not just an insult to a Congress leader of Bikaner, but an insult to all workers.

"I have lived in poverty, faced hard times. If anyone who earns livelihood by doing hard work is insulted, I consider it my insult. This is the arrogance of Congress party but their days are over now," he said.

"A son of Bikaner was insulted. They have made the poor and the farmers just a slogan," PM Modi said.

-PTI