PM Modi accuses Cong of election scam, looting money of poor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday tore into the Congress, accusing it of a "Tughlaq road election scam" in which, he claimed, money meant for the poor and pregnant women was "looted". Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's residence as an MP is at 1, Tughlaq Road, in New Delhi, while Congress president Rahul Gandhi's official residence as an MP is 12, Tughlak Lane, in the national capital. During a poll rally at Junagadh town in Gujarat, Modi, without naming Congress leaders, said in the last five years, he had brought them to the doorstep of jails and if he is elected again, they will be inside prisons. He took a swipe at the opposition party, saying it is known by many names as far as scams are concerned. "Now, it has got a new name, but with proof. The Congress is indulging in a 'Tughlaq Road Chunavi ghotala (election scam)', in which money meant for the poor is being usurped for their own leaders. Money meant for pregnant women is looted," Modi said. The Income Tax (I-T) department recently conducted raids on close aides of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath and others in four states. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which frames policy for the I-T department, said the department also detected a suspected trail of Rs 20 crore allegedly being moved to the "headquarters of a major political party in Delhi" from the house of an important person who lives on Tughlaq Road, which has residences of many VIPs. Referring to the raids, Modi said, "You have seen in the media in the last three to four days, how sacks full of cash were found from Congress leaders. It has not even been six months of the government in MP." "Initially, Karnataka was the ATM of the Congress, now Madhya Pradesh has become its new ATM," he said. Modi said the situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh was no different and that the Congress was only interested to come to power to loot people. The developments in MP are just a "trailer" and "nothing will be left in our hands if the reigns of the country are given in Congress's hands," he said, adding that the "story of Congress is a story of one family". Modi claimed that the Congress in its poll manifesto has said everybody should get bail even if they commit a serious crime. "For whom is this provision, is it for your leaders? In last five years, I brought them to the doors of jails and if you give me next five years, they will be inside," he said. Dubbing the Congress's manifesto as "dhakosla patra", he said it talks about disarming India's military and removing a law to provide safety to the "tukda tukda" gang which talks about dividing the country. Taking a jibe at the Congress, Modi said while the air strikes were conducted against Pakistan, it affected the opposition party in India. "It was the Congress which got a stomachache," he said. The Congress seeks "proofs" for the air strikes, he said, and asked whether people should trust "sons of the soil", who risked their lives in going into Pakistani territory, or the Congress's questions. "The Congress is scared of surgical strike, air strike. Our jawans showed courage against Pakistan, and this is troubling Congress leaders," he said. Referring to the bomb blasts in Ahmedabad, the Akshardham attack and 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, he said for 10 years, there was a "remote-controlled" government. "If you do not have courage, then at least let others do what they are doing," Modi said. The country can only prosper when it is secure, he said, adding that the Congress has used every word in dictionary to abuse him. "Modi wants to remove terrorism and they want to remove Modi. There is no abuse left which the Congress has not used against your son, your 'chowkidar' (watchman)," he added. Slamming the Congress, Modi said the opposition party supports those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India and a separate prime minister for the region. "Our jawans have lost their lives there only for the security of the common man. There is no state in the country from which jawans haven't lost their lives," he said. Recalling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's contribution during the freedom struggle, Modi said Patel asked the Army to take the situation under control amidst mayhem then while former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru kept on looking. "Had he (Sardar Patel) not been there, India would not have even got the Kashmir which it has now...He joined hundreds of princely states...And Nehru handled one princely state (Kashmir) by himself, because of which even today our soldiers are getting martyred," he said. History was witness to the Nehru-Gandhi family targeting political leaders from Gujarat like Sardar Patel and Morarji Desai, Modi claimed. "Now my turn has come. They are worried that they managed Sardarsaheb, made Morarjibhai fall, but this chaiwala? He spent five years with strength," he said. Speaking on the track record of the BJP, Modi said his party fights against terrorism, corruption, and development is its only mantra. The BJP wants to work for poor, give opportunities to the middle class and ensure development of cities and villages, he said. However, the Congress's "tape-record" plays only one song - 'Modi hatao', Modi said, adding that they have no other agenda. PTI
