Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday claimed he had so far offered around Rs 150 crore for “logon ki sewa” (in the service of the people), earned from the auction of gifts he had received.

Modi held this up as an example of his “selflessness”, which he contrasted with the “parivarvaadi” (dynastic) Opposition leaders.

Modi was addressing a party rally in Sangareddy of Telangana where he intensified his poll pitch by slamming “dynastic” Opposition leaders for saying “Modi has no family”. He claimed that 140 crore countrymen were his family — “My India, My family”.

“Dynastic leaders used costly gifts they received while in power to turn their black money into white. But Modi has deposited all the gifts received so far to the Toshakhana, which are then auctioned and the money earned is offered in ‘Maa Ganga ki sewa’ (in the service of mother Ganga),” Modi told the rally. He, however, did not clarify how dynastic leaders used the costly gifts to turn black money into white.

Modi said that he, as Gujarat chief minister too, had auctioned the gifts he had received and used the money for the education of “garib ki betiyon” (daughters of poor families). Modi went on to give an account of how much money he has offered so far for “sewa” (service).

“And, members of my family, you will be happy to know that so far around Rs 150 crore earned from auction of the gifts like shawls and statues has been used in ‘logon ki sewa’ (in the service of the people),” Modi told the crowd.

“Had I been ‘Parivarvaadi’, I would have taken all this (the money) and nobody would have objected since people would have said that the gifts were given to me. But I offered this too to serve you,” he added, as chants of “Modi, Modi” broke out. He claimed that this act never becomes news because the media fears that it will put down other leaders.

The Prime Minister continued to tap into RJD leader Lalu Prasad’s “Modi has no family” jibe.

At a rally in Adilabad of Telangana, Modi had on Monday turned Lalu’s attack into the election slogan “Mera Bharat, Mera Parivar” (My India, My family).

“They (Opposition leaders) opened bank accounts in foreign countries to park their black money, while Modi opened Jan Dhan bank accounts for the poor. They build palatial houses for their children but Modi so far has no house of his own,” he said on Tuesday, intensifying the attack.

He accused the Congress and its alliance partners of “insulting Modi’s family” with personal attacks because they were feeling “restless” as their corruption cases were being unearthed by his government.