Kharge kicked up a row while campaigning in Kerala on Sunday, saying the people of the southern state are "educated and clever" and cannot be misled, unlike those in Gujarat and some other places.

"Don't misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever and educated. Modiji, (Pinarayi) Vijayan, you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you cannot fool the people of Kerala," the Congress chief had said, drawing severe backlash from the BJP.

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, CM Patel said Kharge has not only insulted the people of Gujarat but also hurt the dignity of the holy land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

He alleged that Kharge's remarks reflected the sense of insecurity in Congress due to growing public support for the BJP under PM Modi.

"His (Kharge's) shameful statement makes it clear that the Congress is feeling insecure due to the widespread public support being given to the development politics of the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Patel added.

The chief minister accused the Congress of nurturing an "anti-Gujarat" mindset.

"Today, Gujarat contributes more than 8 per cent to the country's GDP and handles 40 per cent of the country's cargo. The state has significant shares in industrial production, pharma, and renewable energy sectors," Patel said.

Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi said, "There can be ideological differences in politics, but insulting all citizens of a state and questioning their intellectual capabilities is not only indecent, but it also exposes the completely sick mentality of the Congress." He alleged that such remarks reflected "poison" in the DNA of the Congress towards Gujarat. State BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma demanded a public apology from Kharge and the Congress leadership.

PTI