Salem, 19 March

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday kept up the attack on the INDIA bloc over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, saying the Opposition alliance displayed its "ill-intention" by declaring to destroy it.

The Opposition alliance, of which the Congress and the DMK are key constituents, repeatedly insults Hinduism but never targets any other faith, he said, addressing a BJP rally here. "INDI alliance people repeatedly deliberately insult Hindu faith; every statement made by them against it is well thought out," he said.

In Hinduism, Shakthi means "Matru shakthi, naari shakti," he said, referring to women power. "INDI alliance which has the Congress and the DMK says they will destroy this."

Shakti refers to the divine and manifests in the form of various deities in the state like Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshiamman and Kanchi Kamakshiamma, he said.

National poet Subramania Bharathi worshipped mother India as 'Shakti,' he said. "Tamil Nadu will punish those who talk of destroying Shakti. I am a shakti upasak (worshipper)," Modi said.