Taking Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi head on in the country’s IT capital, Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday likened the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to a “computer virus” that is preventing the administrative system from delivering good governance.
“You may be having the best computer of the world with you and you may be a brilliant person. But your system cannot work when it is infected by a virus. Similarly, virus has crept into the government, preventing delivery of good governance. We must weed out this virus in the election and put an end to bad governance, which is responsible for the problems of the country,” Mr. Modi said at a rally near Electronics City here.
Challenges Rahul
The Gujarat Chief Minister challenged Mr. Rahul Gandhi — who had described his father, Rajiv Gandhi, as the architect of the country’s IT revolution during his visit to Bangalore a day ago — on the facts as to who was actually responsible for triggering the IT boom. Maintaining that it was the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had introduced the Information Technology Act, he asked Mr. Gandhi to speak at least “a little bit of truth”.
Let alone the claims of triggering the IT revolution, the UPA government’s policies slowed down the country’s software exports rate, he alleged. He expressed concern over electronic goods accounting for the third biggest category of items imported to India in terms of volume and wondered why the country that has made a name for itself in software field cannot take care of its own electronic requirements.
He blamed “lopsided” policies of the UPA government for the situation. “I want to tell the youth of Karnataka and the country that I will make your dreams as my own and your ambition will become my mission,” he said.
“You have heard the tape recorder of the prince and the madam. But please look at my track record of good governance in Gujarat. You have elected political masters for 60 years. But you trust me once, I will be your political servant,” Mr. Modi appealed to people, and assured them of bailing out the country from the mess allegedly created by the UPA government.
Nilekani ridiculed Without naming Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who is the Congress candidate from Bangalore South Mr. Modi said, “The Congress’ situation is so bad that it is fielding rich people who have thousands of crores of rupees but no [political] aadhar (basis) as its candidates,” he said.
Join BJP The former Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader B. Somashekhar joined the BJP in the presence of Mr. Modi here on Tuesday.
Janata Dal (Secular) leader M.R.V. Prasad and Abbas Ali Bohra too joined the BJP on the occasion.
