Neither 'Naamdar' Nor His Courtiers Will be Spared, Even PM’s House Can be Raided, Says Modi

Sidhi: Stating that the law was the same for every citizen in the country and even the Prime Minister’s house could be raided if any wrongdoing was suspected, Narendra Modi said neither Congress president Rahul Gandhi nor his courtiers, like Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, would be spared as far as corruption was concerned.

The Prime Minister remarks were in response to Nath and other opposition leader’s allegations about the recent income tax (I-T) raids launched in several places across the nation.

“They are not talking about how and where so much money came from, but are only questioning the raids claiming I was targeting those in the opposition,” he said.

Drawing an example from those travelling by train with or without valid tickets, Modi said only those travelling illegally were arrested.

In an apparent reference to the I-T raids in MP that suggested that money from the state was sent to a senior political leader’s residence at Tughlaq Road in New Delhi, “We all know about the ‘Tughlaq Road scam’ which was done with funds meant for nutritious food for poor children and pregnant women. Even the naamdar’s (Rahul Gandhi) election campaign was funded with this money,” the PM said.

Addressing an election rally in the state’s Sidhi district, the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on the functioning of Congress governments that were formed recently after the last Assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

“A trailer was enough to have an understanding of the Congress’ way of functioning. One very well knows how much the party has destroyed Delhi (Centre) for 70 years. The government in MP provided another evidence of the Congress culture,” the PM added.

Accusing the grand old party of resorting to deceit in the name of farm loan waiver, Modi said, “The government never wrote off any loan after coming to power… No tribal or Dalit farmer is able to secure a farm loan, but close associates of the party whose dues are waived off every 10 years.”

“Forget about farm loan waivers, the MP government has even snatched away the food from mothers and infants under a scheme funded by the Centre,” said the PM, adding funds meant for nutritious food for the poor was recovered in the state during income tax I-T raids.

He went on to claim that it was in the Congress’ nature to make announcements for the poor and farmers and later, embezzle the funds meant for them. The PM also alleged that Congress government made sure that the money sent by him to farmers’ accounts did not reach them as the Centre was never sent a ist of probable beneficiary farmers.

“The Congress fears that if the farmers receive the money, its inefficiency would be exposed.”

“I understand the CM is busy as he needs to visit Switzerland (to stash unaccounted money), settle his son in politics and save his associates whose residences were raided by the I-T department. Hence, he did not have the time to send us the list,” the PM said.

Urging the crowd to help BJP win all the Lok Sabha seats in the MP state, Modi said, “Corruption was the only constant and protocol in a Congress government, but the 'chowkidaar' (watchman) is alert and no one would be spared, irrespective of his or her status.”

Referring to his government’s achievements in women empowerment, he said a girl from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh (Avani Chaturvedi) had made the country proud by becoming one of the first few women fighter pilots in the Air Force.

Hitting out at Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswami for his remark that only the poor joined the armed forces, Modi said, nobody had apologised for what the JD(S) leader had claimed. “Our brave jawans could earn their living anywhere, but they join the Army and take bullet’s from the enemy only to save the motherland,” said the PM, adding the comment was an insult to soldiers and their mothers and voters should teach such political leaders a lesson.

He also took a dig at the grand alliance of opposition parties claiming that those contesting from eight, 20 or 40 seats were nurturing prime ministerial dreams and were ever ready to stitch ties with any outfit for the sake of power.