PM Narendra Modi said the Congress leaders don't dare to enter the field without asking captain (File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to the controversial statements of Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Mani Shankar Aiyar, said today that "two closest courtiers" of the Gandhi family had started "batting" on their own after the fifth phase of the national election.

PM Modi went into a detailed account of the two Congress "batsmen" at his rally in Deoghar in Jharkhand.

"They don't dare to enter the field without asking their captain. One is the guru of Naamdar (Rahul Gandhi). He made fun of Sikhs by saying hua to hua (whatever happened, happened)," the Prime Minister said, referring to Sam Pitroda, the overseas Congress chief considered Rahul Gandhi's mentor. Last week, responding to questions about the BJP raising the 1984 anti-Sikh riots before voting in Delhi and Punjab, Mr Pitroda had said: "Hua to Hua". The BJP and its ally Akali Dal alleged that the comment displayed Congress arrogance.

"The second batsman was off the field since he was hit wicket in the Gujarat election. He had been hiding since he abused me. Now he has also re-entered the pitch and is abusing me," PM Modi said, targeting Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Mani Shankar Aiyar, a former union minister suspended by the Congress in 2017 after he controversially used the "Neech (lowlife)" slur for PM Modi, resurfaced yesterday with an article defending his words and predicting that the PM would be "ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen."

PM Modi has made multiple references to the two Congress leaders in his campaign speeches since yesterday.

Yesterday, he accused Mr Aiyar of calling him "Neech jaat ka (of a lower caste)". He also said despite Rahul Gandhi's words of admonition for Sam Pitroda, he would be back soon after voting was over in Punjab.