The Congress on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a “coward” hiding behind State power and hell-bent on destroying India’s democracy that was built by the struggle and sacrifices of millions.

“Pradhan Mantri Modi kaayar hai. Laga do case mujh par, bhej do jail. Par sachchai hai ki Pradhan Mantri kaayar hai. Apni satta ke peechhe chhupa hai (Prime Minister Modi is a coward. File cases against me, send me to jail. But the truth is that the Prime Minister is a coward. He is hiding behind State power),” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at the daylong satyagraha at Rajghat, organised in protest against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

An emotional Priyanka said a party that couldn’t muster the courage to order an investigation into the charges against a businessman had not flinched from viciously targeting a martyr’s family.

“Today, I remember how Rahul insisted on walking behind the army truck carrying my father’s body 32 years ago. My father’s body was wrapped in the Tricolour. And now a martyr’s son is being called a traitor, his patriotism is being questioned. He is called ‘Mir Jafar’,” Priyanka said.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had described Rahul as “Mir Jafar” for talking on foreign soil about a threat to Indian democracy. “A chief minister tells the martyr’s son he doesn’t even know who his father is. The martyr’s widow is humiliated. The Prime Minister himself asks why the family had abandoned the ‘Nehru’ surname. But there is no case, no punishment for them,” Priyanka said.

Amid frequent slogan-shouting by anguished party workers, Priyanka said: “Rahul Gandhi is not fighting his personal battle. How much will he be humiliated? He is raising the people’s voice. He is fighting to protect citizens’ rights. He is fighting to save democracy. He is fighting against one man grabbing national assets. These properties do not belong to Rahul Gandhi, they are yours. He is saying what is yours should be yours.” Priyanka went on to mention Adani. “Who is this Adani? Why is the Prime Minister and the entire government agitated if his name is mentioned? Why is the entire machinery committed to protect one man? Is asking questions about him a crime?” she said.

Congress satyagraha at Shaheed Smarak in Lucknow on Sunday. PTI picture

“Ahankari tanashah ke pas jawab na ho to ye sawal uthane walon ko dabane ki koshish karte hain (When an arrogant autocrat doesn’t have answers, he tries to suppress those who ask questions). But there is a tradition in India – the people punish the arrogant emperors.”

Priyanka deplored the BJP’s longstanding campaign to disparage Rahul. “A man who studied at Cambridge and Harvard was called ‘Pappu’. But people realised this man is courageous, honest, committed and has deep understanding,” she said.

“The BJP got rattled when they saw millions of people walking with him in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. They thought, how can questions be (allowed to be) asked whose answers cannot be given? So he gets disqualified with unbelievable speed even as lakhs of undertrial prisoners are languishing in jail.”

Priyanka made an appeal to the media. “Enough is enough. I know you are under tremendous pressure. A line is dictated to you. But you must have thought of bringing out the truth while becoming a journalist. Wake up now,” she said.

“Things are very bad. Democracy is in peril. If you don’t recognise the threats today, you will be pushing the country into a serious crisis. Bring out the truth.” She told the people: “Kitna bardasht karoge (How much will you tolerate)? Millions of people have made great sacrifices to build the country. The soldiers guarding the borders are not for Adani. This country is yours. Open your eyes, the time has come to protect this country. Daro mat (Don’t be afraid).”

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge declared that the Congress was ready to make any sacrifice to save democracy. “Don’t presume that we are weak. Int ka jawab patthar se denge (We shall answer bricks with stones). Rahul Gandhi is fighting for the common people. They want to silence him because he is exposing frauds and looters,” he said. “And if he had to be punished for what he said at an election rally, what about Modi who habitually says all kinds of things? He should have been hauled up but we are liberal and we ignored his utterances.” Adhir Chowdhury repeated the “coward” barb and asked Kharge to deploy Rahul and Priyanka in different parts of the country for the final battle.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot described Rahul’s disqualification as a turning point in India’s history. He said Modi was the first Prime Minister not to respond to direct charges of wrongdoing against him and the people would not forgive him for that. He added that nobody had insulted India any worse than Modi on foreign soil.