In a fiery address to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a two-pronged attack on the Congress party and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, linking their rhetoric to what he characterized as a divisive and hateful agenda. Modi's remarks referenced both the Congress's "Mohabbat Ki Dukaan" (shop of love) campaign and the controversial slogan "Modi teri kabr khudegi" (Modi, your grave will be dug).
The Prime Minister accused the Congress of being unable to accept successive electoral defeats, alleging that their "deep hatred" towards him fuels such slogans. He stated that despite their animosity, they would "never be able to dig his grave," emphasizing his connection with the people of India. Modi contrasted this with the Congress party's perspective, which he claimed views the country's citizens as a "problem". He alluded to past statements by former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to support this claim.
Modi also criticized a recent incident where a Congress leader called a Sikh MP a "traitor," labeling it an insult to the entire Sikh community and their Gurus. He argued that this demonstrated a deep-rooted animosity within the Congress towards Sikhs. "Yesterday, a cunning-minded youth leader of Congress called a Member of this House a traitor. Their arrogance has reached the seventh sky," Modi said. He highlighted the fact that while many leaders have left the Congress party over the years, only a Sikh MP was branded a "traitor".
The "Mohabbat Ki Dukaan" campaign, spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi, is meant to counter what he describes as a "nafrat ka bazaar" (market of hatred). Gandhi has often used this phrase to promote unity and harmony and has lauded individuals who stand up against hate. For example, Gandhi praised Deepak Kumar, who stood up to a Hindutva mob harassing a Muslim shopkeeper, as a "living symbol" of the "Mohabbat Ki Dukaan".
However, the BJP has consistently attacked this narrative, accusing Gandhi of spreading "hate" against India from foreign soil in the name of love. They question whether Gandhi's "mohabbat" includes denouncing Hindu traditions, the killings of Sikhs, or seeking foreign intervention that could harm India's democracy. In the past, Modi has also directly attacked Gandhi’s "Mohabbat Ki Dukaan" by calling the Congress party a "shop of loot" and a "market of lies".
Modi's recent remarks in the Rajya Sabha can be seen as a continuation of this ongoing political battle, with the Prime Minister attempting to undermine the Congress's message of love and unity by linking it to divisive rhetoric and historical grievances.