Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at Congress over corruption, accusing it of taking 85 per cent commission in each development project.
“Our country never had a shortage of money for development work.… Congress is a party that takes a cut of 85% commission in every project. We were able to do development because we plugged the leakages created by the Congress party”, Modi said at a rally in Ajmer in poll-bound Rajasthan.
The prime minister’s attack comes weeks after the saffron party’s defeat in Karnataka, wherein its previous government was dubbed as ‘40% commission Sarkara’ by Congress during poll campaigns.
Continuing his attack, Modi said, “When it comes to loot, Congress does not discriminate between anyone. It loots every citizen including poor, oppressed, tribals, minorities, women and Divyangs”.
Taunts Gehlot vs Pilot feud
The PM also took a veiled swipe at the ongoing tussle within the Congress. “After several years, you made a stable government at the Centre in 2014. The BJP has respected your mandate. But you gave a mandate in Rajasthan five years ago. What did Rajasthan get in return? Instability and anarchy. For the past five years, ministers, MLAs and the CM are busy fighting with each other”, Modi said, referring to the hostilities between CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot.
‘Superpower above PM’
The rally was organised to mark the completion of nine years of the Modi government across its two terms. “What was the situation prior to 2014? People were on the streets against corruption, there used to be terrorist attacks in big cities, Congress Govt was scared of building roads at borders, crime against women was high, there was a superpower above the PM, Congress Govt was functioning through a remote control…”, he added.
“This ‘guarantee habit’ of Congress is not new, it is old. 50 years back, Congress gave the ‘garibi hatao’ guarantee to the country. This is Congress party’s biggest treachery with the poor. Congress’ strategy has been to trick the poor. People of Rajasthan have suffered due to this”, Modi said, in an apparent jibe at the Congress’ guarantee promise to the voters in Karnataka.
Referring to the opposition’s criticism of him inaugurating the new parliament, Modi said,”…Achievements of India, success of the people of India is not digestible to a few people. India got a new Parliament building. Are you not proud of the new Parliament?… But Congress & some other parties like it threw mud of politics at it…They are angry that how is the son of a poor standing before their ego? They are angry that the why is son of the poor not allowing their arbitrariness? They are angry that why is son of the poor questioning their corruption & dynasty?…”
Before his rally, the prime minister had offered prayers at the famous Brahma temple in Pushkar.
