The recent income tax raids on the aide of Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Kamal Nath, has provided added ammo to the ruling BJP. 

At a public rally in Gujarat's Junagadh on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi fired a fresh salvo at the Congress, terming the scam as the "Tughlaq Road Chunavi Ghotala", hinting at the residence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tughlaq Road in New Delhi. 

Modi accused the Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government of siphoning off money released from the Centre for nutrition of the state's pregnant women, children and tribals, and transferring it to its bosses in Delhi. 

"The Congress has an identity of scams. After many in the past, a new scam has joined the list with proof, 'Tughlaq Road Chunavi Ghotala'. A huge amount of cash was recovered in sacks from Congress leaders in Bhopal. It is not even six months since they gained power in Madhya Pradesh, and they have shown their true colours. Earlier, Karnataka was their ATM, now even MP has become so. And nothing different can be imagined in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh," he told the gathering in Junagadh.

"Imagine, if they get five minutes to rule in Delhi after being out of power for five years, they will loot the public money even during that time," he added.  Modi also raised serious concerns about the party's manifesto, "which says everyone should be granted bail despite committing serious crime." "Is this a provision for your leaders? I have brought them to the doors of jail in the past five years. Give me five more years and they will be behind bars," he said. 

He took a jibe at the Opposition's "Chowkidar Chor Hai" barb saying, "If that be so, then how come money was recovered from a Congress leader?" Modi charged the Congress with vote-bank politics at the cost of the middle class. "There is no word on the middle class in the Congress manifesto. Instead, it says that they will tax the middle class to serve the interests of its vote-bank," he said. 

Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a rally at Junagadh, where he boasted about his success in containing terrorism. "Terrorism emerged during their (Congress') time. It was nurtured during their time. But they didn't act. Did anyone stop you (from taking action). I want to say that we have decided that we will finish them (terrorists) where they get nurtured or get their resources, we will nip them in the bud." "If you are not interested in taking action, at least do not stop the person who is intent on doing so. Our priority is the country's protection."

Referring to the remarks made by former J&K Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti on bringing back the posts of Prime Minister in the state and breaking the state's accession with India if the BJP tried to abrogate the special status given to Jammu & Kashmir, Modi revived the nationalism pitch. On Kashmir, Modi said, Congress was using the language that Pakistan wants to hear.

"Today, we have this situation in Kashmir, where some leaders demand there be two Prime Ministers and two constitutions. This is against the country's unity and integrity as visualised by Sardar Patel," he said, adding that the BJP would follow the principles of Sardar Patel and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who opposed the idea of two Prime Ministers and two Constitutions in one country.

"Today's Congress manifesto is completely opposite to Sardar Patel's thoughts. They want to remove the sedition law. How can one expect such a thing from 125-year-old party. This means, they want the Tukde-Tukde gang to succeed in destroying the unity of the country. They are trying to do what Pakistan wants to achieve. Aren't they traitors?"

 

 

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