Modi accuses Rahul Gandhi of undermining Prime Minister’s authority
New Delhi: BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday accused Rahul Gandhi of undermining authority of the Prime Minister and asked people to decide if the nation will be run based on the Constitution or whims of the “prince”.
Addressing a rally — his first in the capital as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate — he said UPA was burdened by “governments within governments” which has been affecting the overall growth and development of the country.
“This government is mired in corruption. Instead of finding solutions to problems, it has stopped functioning. This government is paralyzed. The UPA government is immersed in Gandhi-bhakti. The Gandhi-bhakti refers to currency notes which they are collecting in tonne,” he alleged.
In his over an hour-long address, the BJP leader lamented that Manmohan Singh was projecting 1.2 billion-strong India as a “poor nation” before US President Barack Obama during his meeting with him on Saturday.
“My head bowed in shame as the Prime Minister was seen begging by projecting India as a nation of the poor. Why did he not project India as a nation with 65 percent of the people below 35 years of age? Is that projection of poor nation a state of the mind?” he said.
Modi said the country was in the grip of a “crisis” because of corruption and policy paralysis. “The nation has been gripped by crisis due to corruption. It has not only affected the exchequer but it has also created a crisis when it came to the nation’s future. More than 60 years after Independence, as compared to India smaller countries are doing better. We are regressing instead of progressing. Youth of this country want employment but this government is unable to do so. The NDA government had provided employment to six crore people in six years, and UPA between 2004-2009 has given employment to only 27 lakh people,” he said.
Questioning whether the future of the youth was safe in the hands of Congress, Modi asked the younger generation to “throw out” UPA and the Delhi government led by the party.
Citing recent judgements in which the Supreme Court has used “harsh words” against the government, the Gujarat Chief Minister said the leaders of Congress and its allies are “unmoved” by such observations and made their comparison to an “alchoholic” who remained immune to any talk on the ill effects of liquor.
Referring to “lack of development” in the country in the last nine years, Modi made a comparison of infrastructure development between the UPA and NDA regimes and gave examples of expansion of the national highway and railway networks during NDA rule.
He said that the UPA government by giving a package of Rs 30,000 crore to the aviation sector had shown its “misplaced priorities”.
Modi said he was “son of a poor family” and thanked the people allowing him to reach this position. “I was never a ruler, nor am I today. I am only your servant. Earlier also I was your servant. I will remain your servant in the future also.”
He exhorted the people to have faith in BJP and believe in his work and that of his party workers, saying, “I assure you, neither Narendra Modi nor BJP will ever break your trust and let you down. We will never allow your dreams to be shattered. We will live for your dreams.”
“For me my religion is — nation first, India first,” he said, adding that the Constitution of the country should be the only holy book for a government.
He also launched a direct attack on Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, saying she has a habit of passing the buck on all issues. “The Delhi Chief Minister has the easiest job. All she does is cut ribbons at inaugurations. She has no responsibilities. If there are pot holes on the roads, she blames municipal corporations. If there is a law and order problem, she blames the Centre. She passes the buck up or down,” Modi said.
