Live Reporting: Narendra Modi says, a tea seller is better than those who sell the nation

Raigarh (Chhattisgarh): BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today lashed out saying a tea seller is better equipped to become a Prime Minister compared to those who sell the nation. Addressing an election rally in Raigarh, Modi said, a leader from UP has said that a tea seller like him (Modi) does not deserve to be Prime Minister. Modi said, this was insult to the poor people of India. "A tea seller is hundred times better than those who sell the nation", he said. Live updates from the rally: 12:05 pm: Modi says, India was a "sone ki chidiya" (a golden bird) in ancient times. That's why invaders for 1,200 years came to loot the country. The UPA government is obssessed only with either Modi or gold (referring to the gold hunt in UP). 12: 06 pm: I am really surprised with the "gyan" of Congress leaders. Media should research about them. Even the Finance Minister does not know India was a rich nation in ancient times. 12: 07 pm: Tell me: do you trust the Congress? Modi asks, audience says, NO! Do you trust their leaders, their motives? audience says NO!12:10 pm: The UPA leaders are frustrated. One of their leaders in UP said a tea seller does not deserve to become PM. "I want to tell them, is it a sin to become the son of a poor man? Is poverty a sin?" The audience shouts NO!. Modi says:"I want to tell them, let the whole nation year, a chaiwala is hundred times better than those who sell the nation!" The crowd applauds. Shouts of 'Desh ke Neta Kaisa Ho, Narendra Modi Jaisa Ho'.12:11pm: I don't understand what type of mentality they have about poverty, says Modi. They don't even feel ashamed of such a remark. "Let the poor people of India take revenge for this insult to their poverty", declares Modi. 12:12 pm: As soon as Modi says, Shahzaade(Rahul), the crowd break into laughter. "The shahzaade says, he wants to change the system. I want to ask you: Who created the system for the last 60 years? Our Shahzaade's pitaji(Rajiv), his dadishree (Indira) and his par-naanaji (Nehru). They created the system, they distorted the system, and now shahzaade wants to change the system, says Modi. 12:15 pm: "Ab jaane ki baari aayi hai, to vyavastha badalne ki baat kar rahe hain" (Now the time to leave power has come, and he is speaking about changing the system), says Modi. It's his family which created the licence-permit raj, it's his party which brought in reforms, and now he wants to change the system. They are not bothered about the nation, they are bothered about their kursi (chair), says Modi. 12:16 pm: Modi raises Lata Mangeshkar's Bharat Ratna issue. "Lataji at a function praised me saying she wanted to see me as PM. Is this country a democracy or not? Does an individual has the right to express herself or not? But they (Congress) are howling at Lataji and want to withdraw her Bharat Ratna. Is this the language of democracy? Or the language of fascism, of Hitler?, asks Modi. Modi tells people of Raigarh, that it is a city of arts, and they should bear such remarks by Congress leaders in mind. 12:20 pm: Modi now tells the voters to "fulfill Gandhiji's last wish" of disbanding the Congress. "I want you to finish off Congress at least from Raigarh", he says. 12:25 pm: Modi then explains the importance of the age of 13. "Chhattisgarh is now 13 years old. Between the age of 13 to 18 years, a young man or woman's growth rises suddenly. For the growth of Chhattisgarh for the next five years, elect Raman Singh and his government again", says Modi. 12:26 pm: Modi ends speech with Jai Chhattisgarh.