Dharampur (Gujarat), Dec 4 (IANS) Continuing his scathing attacks on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed the party as “an empire” that can only be ruled by one single family. He also said that the Congress “disliked Gujarat and hated it” and so the people of Gujarat should “punish” the Congress.

Modi, on the second day of his two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat, addressing a massive crowd at Malanpada in Dharampur, a Congress bastion, said: “The Congress dynasty which has reigned in Uttar Pradesh since five decades, have we ever maligned them, insulted them? Insulted other states? But not a single day passes when every Congress leader curses Gujarat. What is our fault? They cursed Sardar Patel. What was his fault? That he worked for the good of the country?”

Continuing in the same vein, Modi said, “Indira Gandhi had our Morarji Desai jailed for months. Why such animosity for Gujarat? Gujarat should teach them a lesson that they stop insulting Gujarat. Gujarat has never been on anybody’s mercy.”

Speaking about the election for Congress president, the Prime Minister said, “Congress has now abandoned all shame. Such persons (Rahul) who have been charged by the court, who is on bail, such persons whom we would not entrust the president post of a district, is now being given the president’s post in the party. What kind of culture prevails in Congress?”

Citing a statement by senior Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar, who said “Did election exist when Aurangzeb came in place of Shah Jahan?”, Modi taunted: “This is an empire where only the dynastic heir rules. Whereas for me, the people are my high command. We ask votes on the basis of development. You check out all the previous elections of 2002, 2007, 2012, where the Congress has only tried to paint a non secular picture of BJP.”

Referring to the temple visits of the Gandhi scion in Gujarat, Modi said: “Look at the strength of the land of Sardar and Mahatma Gandhi, that after 70 years they have started visiting places. But people won’t be fooled by that. There is a conspiracy to insult Gujarat and Gujarat won’t tolerate.”

Mentioning the recently held local body elections in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said: “The people of UP have now recognized the Congress and have wiped out them out, who ruled the state through five dynasties. Now the Congress has accepted that they cannot harm Modi in 2019 and now they don’t have anywhere to go. So their target is to malign Gujarat. The Congress has always made people fight against people, tribal against tribal, educated against uneducated, communities and so on. But the people of Gujarat have rejected such a disruptive party.”

And in his interactive style of asking question to the audience, Modi asked, “Have you ever read in newspapers that Modi took away so much money for himself? For his brother, for his relatives? Whereas what was on the other side – scams of loot in coal deal, helicopter deal, why? Since Modi is in Delhi, he has stopped all such loot. Instead now people ask what did Modi bring in.”

On demonetization, Modi said, “Congress is angry with me for demonetization. Tell me are you angry with me for demonetization?” But without waiting for an answer from the crowd as he normally does, he continued, “The Congressman are worried that their scam money, corrupt money has gone. They are angry that Modi looted us. But remember all the looters of the country, Modi will extract every penny out from you and use it for the common man of the country. The money belongs to the country.”

Alleging the Congress of not doing anything for the Other Backward Castes (OBC), the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), Modi said: “All the previous governments did not do anything for these communities. As soon as our government was formed, we granted constitutional status to the OBC commission. Congress had halted that bill in the Rajya Sabha. I don’t have to go and learn what backward living is.”

Urging the gathered crowd to vote for BJP, Modi said, “I can see the target of achieving 150 seats for the BJP being fulfilled right in front of my eyes here. You will be deciding the fate of Gujarat on the 9th and you will have to punish the people who have disliked Gujarat.”

–IANS
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