Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of following political opportunism to further its gains. The party was a “thing of the past” which the people of Punjab must not trust, he said.
The Congress is a “sinking ship” and people should not board it as it would not help them reach anywhere, he said at an election rally here.
Mr. Modi referred to the politically sensitive issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Canal, saying Punjab had the right to use water for irrigation. Waters from the Indus river that flow into Pakistan as waste would be brought to Punjab.
(Haryana and Punjab are locked in a bitter legal and emotional battle over the issue for the past several years).
With Rahul Gandhi raking up the issue of drug menace in the State at a rally in Majitha, Mr. Modi hit back at him, saying, “Some people are taking politics to a new low by tarnishing the image of the youth of Punjab.” The pride of Punjabis was tarnished by such statements and the Assembly polls in the State were the best way to reply to such remarks.
''The Congress is like water and changes it shape to suit its political needs. It is a strange party. It tied up with the Left in West Bengal to survive in that State. Whatever they [Left] gave [as seats], it accepted...In Uttar Pradesh, it attacked the Samajwadi Party in its yatras. Then it went for a pact...It saw an opportunity after a feud in the SP...,” Modi said.
Dubbing “political opportunism” as the “forte” of the Congress, he said the country was witnessing the results of “politics of destruction” the country had seen in the last 70 years. “Now, we have started politics of development.”.
Referring to demonetisation, he claimed that he had been facing “atrocities” for the past three months. “Modi hun. Zulm ke samne jhukta nahin [I am Modi. I do not bow before atrocities],” he said.
''My drive against corruption is an apolitical affair aimed at ridding the country of black money.But people who have amassed illegal wealth in the past 70 years are worried and are attacking me as they are still unable to digest the decision,” he said.
