PM Modi: Poverty is state of mind for those unaware to sleep hungry

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday targeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi over poverty, saying only those oblivious to sleep hungry at night can think that it is a state of mind. For some, poverty is just an opportunity to click photos, Modi said, sharpening his attack on the Congress chief.

He was speaking after launching the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana, a pension scheme for unorganised sector. "This scheme is aimed at the uplift of the section of society which has been ignored and left at the mercy of God.

They (Congress) gave slogans of garibi hatao (end poverty). Some projected themselves as a messiah of workers. But during their tenure they did not launch such a scheme, he said.

"They ruled the country for 55 years and collected votes in the name of poor," he said. "They thought that poverty is a mental state. See how is this neta who says that there is nothing like poverty but a mental state," Modi said, targeting the Congress president.

"For them poverty is just an opportunity to click pictures. Only those oblivious to sleeping hungry even for one night can think that it is a state of mind, Modi said, in an obvious reference to Gandhi's 2013 statement that poverty is a state of mind. "What they could not do in 55 years, this 'chaiwala' did in 55 months by bringing such a scheme," Modi said.

(With inputs from agencies.)