Congress leader Raj Babbar launched a scathing personal attack against Prime Minster Narendra Modi while campaigning for Madhya Pradesh assembly elections on Thursday.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief reportedly called PM Modi 'manhoos'(ominous) over the rising fuel prices. Furthermore, Babbar compared the devalued rate of the Indian rupee to the PM's nonagenarian mother, who is around 97 years old.

"He [Modi] used to say that the rupee has fallen so much against the dollar that it was nearing the age of the then prime minister [Manmohan Singh]. Today, the rupee's value has dropped so low, that it is inching closer to your[Modi's] beloved mother's age," Babbar said at a rally in Indore.

Jab vo (PM Modi) kehte te ki dollar ke samne rupaya itna gir gaya ki uss waqt ke PM ki umar batha karke kehte te ki unki umar ke kareeb ja raha hai.Aj ka rupaya,apki pujniye mataji ki umar ke kareeb niche girna shuru hogaya hai:Raj Babbar,Congress,in Indore,MadhyaPradesh. (22.11) pic.twitter.com/5vTv0c2sKb ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2018

A Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Pratap Singh, defended Babbar's comments by saying that even PM Modi frequently takes jibes at the Gandhi family in his speeches.

Babbar also said that his party was never opposed to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and he now felt that even the Muslim community wanted it.

The decision on the vexed issue, however, will be taken by the Supreme Court, he said ahead of the November 28 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh.

Babbar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rakes up the temple issue during every election.

"BJP has never had any great passion for Lord Ram. Whenever there is election, the BJP starts seeking votes in Ram's name," Babbar stated.

"People have begun to realise that BJP is deceiving voters on the issue of Ram temple. It promises to build the temple but will not tell the date," he said.

Asked about UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath targeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi during the poll campaign, Babbar said, "What can be said about a person who left the temple to join politics? Adityanath should be asked whether he is maintaining the dignity of his saffron robes."

To another question about actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, Babbar said, "BJP has insulted Sinha. The fake politicians within the BJP are not able to tolerate him."

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