PM Modi Receives Warm Welcome From 'Shakti Ammas' in Salem Rally Amid Row Over Rahul Gandhi's Remark

PM Narendra Modi was welcomed by eleven ‘Shakti Ammas‘ during his public rally in Salem, Tamil Nadu, on Monday.

This comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues its attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Shakti’ remark.

Addressing the BJP rally in Salem, Prime Minister Modi criticised the INDIA bloc, stating that the opposition alliance showed its “ill-intentions” by expressing a desire to dismantle it.

PM Modi further remarked that the opposition alliance repeatedly insults Hinduism but refrains from targeting any other religion.

“People in the INDIA alliance repeatedly and deliberately insult Hindu beliefs, every statement they make against it is well thought out,” he stated.

Explaining the significance of Shakti in Hinduism, Modi mentioned its meaning as “Matru shakti, naari shakti,” referring to the power of women. “The INDIA alliance which has the Congress and the DMK says they will destroy this,” he added.

Modi further elaborated that Shakti represents the divine and manifests in various deities in the state such as Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshiamman, and Kanchi Kamakshiamma. He also noted that the national poet Subramania Bharathi revered mother India as ‘Shakti.’

“Tamil Nadu will punish those who talk of destroying Shakti. I am a shakti upasak (worshipper),” Modi affirmed.

The 11 ‘Shakti Ammas’ are part of Project Shakti, which was launched in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh. This project recognises women entrepreneurs in villages as ‘Shakti Ammas’. There are almost 1.4 lakh ‘Shakti ammas’— as these women entrepreneurs are known—spread across 18 states covered by HUL’s Project Shakti. The project was established to improve livelihoods and create opportunities for women micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas.

(With inputs from PTI)