"If you abuse Modi, support for him will increase," he said.
Training guns on the Congress over its President M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the party and its leaders "have lost their minds".
Noting that PM Modi is welcomed across the world with a lot of respect, he said the Congress cannot instigate people with such statements, because the support for the PM will increase, as much as they abuse him.
"Congress is lacking on issues. In the last nine years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased India's pride in the world, he has worked to make India prosperous, he has made India's infrastructure strong, and he has made India's borders safe. Wherever Modi ji goes across the world, people there welcome him with 'Modi-Modi' slogans," Mr Shah said.
Addressing a public meeting at Navalgund in Dharwad district, he said, "Congress President Kharge (Mallikarjun Kharge) says our leader (PM) Modi, whom the whole world respects and welcomes, is like a venomous snake. I want to ask you, can you make the Congress party, which has compared Modi to a venomous snake, victorious in the election? "
"The same Congress gives the slogan 'Modi teri khabar khudegi (Modi, your grave will be dug)', Sonia Gandhi says 'Maut Ka Saudagar (merchant of death)', Priyanka Gandhi says 'neechi jati ke log' (people of low caste), and he (Mr Kharge) says 'Vishela Samp' (venomous snake). Congress people, you have lost your minds. How much ever you abuse Modi, lotus will bloom," Mr Shah said.
By abusing PM Modi, Congress cannot instigate the people of Karnataka, he further said, and added that, "If you abuse Modi, support for him will increase."
Addressing a campaign rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Mr Kharge on Thursday likened PM Modi to a venomous snake. As a row erupted, he later sought to clarify that his remarks were not aimed at the Prime Minister but at the ruling BJP.
Among the Prime Ministers of India, PM Modi is the only PM who was born into a poor family as a son of a tea seller, Mr Shah said, adding that today after assuming the high office, he is working for the betterment of crores of poor people.
"Congress always speaks about Garibi Hatao (getting rid of poverty), but did not do anything for the poor," he added.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)