JAMKANDORNA (GUJARAT): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress for trying to block his fight against corruption.
Addressing a rally in Jamkandorna of Rajkot district in Gujarat ahead of the state polls due this year-end, Modi said, when the Centre makes a move against corruption “an entire group shouts against us”, and begins to defame government institutions.
“Why don’t you give a straight reply to the allegations levelled against you? You will have to pay back whatever you have looted from the public. Shouldn't I continue to work despite criticism? I have your full blessings,” he said.
He said the Congress had outsourced the “contract” of abusing him and was working “silently” to capture rural votes. Modi cautioned BJP workers and supporters to be aware of the Congress.
Ahead of the state assembly polls, set to be held by the year-end, Modi warned BJP workers and supporters to be aware of the Congress, which, he said, has stopped abusing him and is “working silently” to capture rural votes.
“In the past 20 years, those who were against Gujarat left no stone unturned to defame the state. They hurled choicest abuses against me, including calling me ‘maut ka saudagar',” Modi told the gathering.
“They have suddenly gone silent. They have outsourced the contract of creating ruckus, making noise and abusing me, to others. They are silently going to villages and asking people for votes,” Modi said, in a reference to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the new entrant to the poll fray in Gujarat, without naming it.
“I should warn you against this silent strategy of the opposition party. I know this, as this is being controlled by those who are known to conspire against Gujarat from Delhi,” Modi said.
He told the people to ask Congress leaders if they visited the Statue of Unity, built in Gujarat in honour of India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“Those who don't respect son of soil Sardar Patel should not have any place in Gujarat,” Modi said.
“If the government acts against the corrupt, a group shouts against us; should I not act against those involved in looting people?” he said. — PTI
