Accusing the Congress of promoting corruption and following a policy of appeasement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the nine years of BJP rule were dedicated to welfare of the poor, good governance and service to the citizens. He said the people were suffering before 2014, when the Congress misguided them and they faced terror attacks.
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Mr. Modi also criticised the Opposition’s boycott of the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building on Sunday, while holding the Congress responsible for deceiving public opinion in the matter. He said the Congress had tried to destroy India’s moment of pride for its “ego-centric and senseless opposition”.
Mr. Modi made the remarks while addressing a huge public rally here, marking the completion of nine years of the BJP government at the Centre. The rally in Rajasthan, where the Assembly election will be held in December this year, was the first major event in a month-long mass connect campaign of the BJP, titled ‘Maha Jansampark’ (mega public contact).
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In an apparent retort to the Congress’ jibe of “40% commission government” in Karnataka, where the BJP was defeated recently, Mr. Modi said the Congress was a party that took a cut of 85% in every project. “We plugged the leakages created by the Congress party. The nation did not progress [earlier] despite there being no shortage of money for development works,” he said.
“When it comes to loot, Congress does not discriminate between anyone. Before 2014, there was a superpower [at the Centre] above the Prime Minister... The government was functioning through a remote control, when the people were on the streets against corruption,” Mr. Modi said.
In poll-bound Rajasthan, the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs were busy fighting each other for the last five years, paying no attention to “instability and anarchy” in the State, Mr. Modi said, referring to the tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. He said the ruling Congress in Rajasthan had disrespected the people’s mandate, which was for a stable government.
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‘Guarantee habit’
The Prime Minister ridiculed the “guarantee habit” of the Congress, saying the ruling party in the State was holding a “false guarantee show” through the inflation relief camps. The country would go bankrupt if these guarantees were fulfilled, he said, and reminded the audience of the unfulfilled promise of Congress for farmers’ loan waiver. He also said the Congress’ ‘Garibi Hatao’ slogan was its “biggest treachery with the poor”.
Mr. Modi offered prayers at the famous Brahma temple in the pilgrim town of Pushkar before arriving at the venue of the rally, Kayad Vishram Sthali, on the outskirts of Ajmer. This was Mr. Modi’s sixth visit to Rajasthan during the last eight months. The people from eight Lok Sabha and 45 Assembly constituencies in central and southern Rajasthan were invited to the rally with an eye on the upcoming Assembly poll.
On the boycott of inauguration of the Parliament building, Mr. Modi said the Congress had insulted the hard work of 60,000 labourers as well as the national sentiments, adding that the party was unable to digest the progress the country was making. He said while such opportunities came once in generations, the Congress was angry because a “son of the poor” had challenged its dynastic politics.
Mr. Modi also touched the subjects of one rank one pension for ex-servicemen, vaccination coverage for women and children, crimes against women, minimum support prices for agricultural produces, construction of highways, housing facilities for the poor and the direct benefit transfer in his address. He said there were shortcomings in all of these fields during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime.