Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the “first family” of the Congress of trying to disintegrate Karnataka from the rest of India.
Winding up his election campaign in Karnataka with an election rally at Yelachagare Bore in Nanjangud near here on Sunday evening (May 7), Mr. Modi said the “first family” of the Congress had on Saturday assured to “protect Karnataka’s sovereignty”.
“It means the Congress leaders believe that Karnataka is not part of India,” he said, accusing the Congress of openly promoting separation of Karnataka from India.
Accusing the Congress of insulting the patriotism of Kannadigas, Mr. Modi said the people of the State will give a strong reply to the party on May 10 when Karnataka goes to polls.
Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are all campaigning for the party in election-bound Karnataka.
Congress politics
Earlier, Mr. Modi said the Congress party’s “first family” encourages the involvement of foreign forces in the country in pursuit of its political goals. Accusing them of “secretly” meeting foreign diplomats, who dislike India, Mr. Modi said the country was aware of such “games” played by the Congress leaders. “This country cannot pardon such games,” he said.
He also said that another dangerous aspect of the Congress politics is the impact it has on law and order and the country’s security. Whenever Congress comes to power, terrorists and criminals become emboldened, he alleged.
Also, foreign investment for industrial and economic growth will come to the State only when law and order is good. “Only the BJP Government can ensure a good law and order situation,” he said.
Pointing out that India will figure in the top three economies of the world in the coming few years, Mr. Modi said India can make it to the top three economies in the world only when Karnataka becomes India’s “No. 1” State.
Biggest fraud
Dismissing the “guarantees” provided by the Congress ahead of the ensuing elections in Karnataka, Mr. Modi recalled that the “Garibi Hatao” campaign of the Congress launched 50 years ago was the one of the “biggest frauds” in the history of the country.
He referred to the launch of Vande Bharat trains, construction of railway stations and airports, besides expressways and other infrastructure work in different parts of the country and said people of the country were wondering from where Mr. Modi was bringing money for the same. “It is your money,” he told the gathering.
Unlike the Congress Governments that were “looting” public money, Mr. Modi said he was using the public money for development of the country. During the Congress regime, as much as 85 per cent of money released for development works was “looted”, he said and recalled a statement reportedly made by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi himself that only 15 paise out of the 100 paise released by the Government reaches the people through development. “The rest of the 85 per cent used to go into the pockets of the Congress netas,” Mr. Modi alleged.
