PM Modi in poll-bound Rajasthan: Congress means loot ki dukaan, jhooth ka bazaar

“The Congress government has done a lot of damage to Rajasthan. Its defeat in the state is so certain that the government here is in a bye-bye -election mode,” he said. “I have learnt that some ministers and MLAs are already vacating their government accommodations and shifting to personal accommodations. Only Congress leaders can have so much confidence about their defeat.”

Modi said that over the last nine years the Centre has tried to ensure that Rajasthan gets benefits through all the Central schemes. Out of 4 crore houses constructed for the poor, he said, nearly 20 lakh are for the people of Rajasthan, and out of 50 crore bank accounts created for the poor, around 3 crore people are from the state.

During the difficult pandemic phase, these bank accounts supported the poor, he added.

“Development can reach the people when the country’s and a state’s governments work together honestly. In the last four years, the situation in Rajasthan (under the Gehlot administration) has been exactly the opposite. We send schemes from Delhi, but the Congress (government) in Jaipur snatches them away. The Congress has nothing to do with inconvenience of the people of Rajasthan — or with your problems,” Modi asserted.

He said Rajasthan should have been on the top of the list under the Jal Jeevan Mission but the state is among the bottom-place holders. Not even one from Rajasthan is among 130 districts where tap water has reached 100% households, he said.

Modi noted that the Congress had promised to waive farmer loans and asked the people whether they have received that benefit. He said the Centre had sent Narmada water to Rajasthan’s farmers but the state government left “no stone unturned to stop it”.

Alluding to the tussle between Gehlot and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Modi said, “The entire party and the government is fighting among themselves over the last four years.”

“In the middle of this tussle, the Chief Minister is busy saving his son’s future,” he maintained. “He doesn’t care about Rajasthan’s sons and daughters. Due to this, several ministers and MLAs are displeased with him.

There can be “no hope” from these leaders for Rajasthan’s development, Modi said. “I want to tell these people: enough of this wrestling with corruption; now the people will decide. Rajasthan wants a stable government, a double-engine government — Rajasthan doesn’t need parivarwaad (dynastic politics); it needs vikaaswaad (politics of development).”

“Ever since the Congress has come to power in Rajasthan, it has made another identity: corruption, crime and appeasement. The situation is such that when a ranking is done for corruption, Rajasthan will come at number one. A state that was known for peace and harmony now sees incidents of communal tension every other day. The entire government under the Congress is busy in appeasement.”

Alluding to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism that democracy is under threat in India in speeches abroad, and the Congress’s reaction to the Balakot strikes, among others, Modi said: “They (Congress) have so much problem with the progress of India that their leader goes abroad and abuses India…. You will remember what they have said to demoralise the Army whenever the Army displayed their valour…. The Army says we have destroyed terror outposts in Pakistan, did surgical strike, but Congress says show us proof.

“The IAF does airstrikes in Pakistan; they say nothing has happened. The Congress has always had a problem with the Army and soldiers…”