The Congress on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "insulted maharajas but silent on atrocities of sultans" attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying he "maliciously twists" every statement of the former Congress chief to inflame communal prejudices and passions.

The opposition party's remarks came after Modi on Sunday accused Gandhi of insulting India's rajas and maharajas but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics.

Hitting back at the prime minister, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said Modi has gone beyond being pathetic.

"He maliciously and mischievously twists every statement of Rahul Gandhi to inflame, incite and ignite communal prejudices and passions," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"His (Modi's) exit is inevitable and his realisation of that is making him more and more desperate. His campaign speeches are shameful really," Ramesh said.

Addressing a mega public rally in Karnataka's Belagavi, Modi said, "The Congress has ensured the writings of our history and our freedom struggle with an eye on appeasement and vote bank. Even today, the Congress' shehzade (prince)' is carrying forward that sin. You might have heard Congress' shehzade's recent statement -- he says Bharat's rajas and maharajas were 'atyachari (oppressive)'." "He (Gandhi) has accused them (rajas and maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and poor … The Congress' shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires us even today," the prime minister said.

Recalling the contribution of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family for which they are respected across the country even today, he said, "The Congress' shehzade's statements were intentional, aimed at vote bank politics and appeasement." "Shehzade spoke ill about rajas, maharajas but shahzade's mouth was locked regarding the 'atyachar' that the nawabs, nizams, sultans and badshahs committed in India's history. His mouth was shut on them but on rajas, maharajas he speaks ill and insults them," he said.

Gandhi cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's oppressions, Modi said and added, "He (Aurangzeb) impured a number of our temples and destroyed those. The Congress is happily making alliances with parties that praise Aurangzeb … It doesn't remember people who destroyed our religious places, indulged in killing, killing of cows. It doesn't remember the nawab who played a role in the partition of India." He further recalled the contributions of the Raja of Banaras in setting up Banaras Hindu University and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the reconstruction of temples.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.