Kochi: Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a controversial speech he made at an election rally in Rajasthan, Congress leader K C Venugopal on Monday said that god-fearing people would not spread hatred like the former did.

Addressing a press conference here, Venugopal, the AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, said Modi’s remarks were not fit for the post of the prime minister. He was referring to the speech in which Modi suggested that the Congress would redistribute people's wealth to Muslims if it comes to power.

“How can the prime minister peddle such lies? He is running a fake campaign with the aim of gaining votes by creating communal polarisation in the country. With the first phase of the elections over, the prime minister has sensed which way the wind is blowing. Hence he is resorting to such divisive speeches. People will see through it,” Venugopal, a Rajya Sabha MP who is contesting to Lok Sabha from Kerala’s Alappuzha constituency, said.

He said Modi quoted something that wasn't there in the Congress manifesto. “Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has sought an appointment with the PM to speak to him about our manifesto. All Congress candidates and party leaders will send copies of the manifesto to the prime minister. A complaint undersigned by 1 lakh people will be sent to the election commission against the hate speech made by the prime minister,” he said.

Venugopal termed Modi’s Rajasthan speech the most horrible in the history of hate speeches."It’s a naked violation of the election code of conduct and an open call for riots,” he said.

“Elections will take place and there will be winners and losers. But the people have to live here again together,” the Congress leader said. He said he did not understand what kind of love for Hindu dis the speech reflect. “The most important aspect of devotion is fear of god. Those who fear god will not make such speeches,” Venugopal said.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on Sunday, Modi said that Congress was planning to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children." He cited former PM Manmohan Singh's remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country's resources. Venugopal alleged that Modi distorted the speech of Manmohan Singh.