PM Modi tears into Congress, warns against mahamilavat ki sarkar

“I am making a serious charge against the Congress,” he said in his 100-minute-long speech. “Congress party does not want the Indian Air Force to be strong. Why do you want the Rafale deal to be cancelled? Who is going to benefit out of it? For which company you are playing this? You played this kind of game with the Army? Why?,” he said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi his target, he went on: “History is witness to the (fact) that Congress and its power hungry allies have never done anything without middlemen? I used to wonder how can he (Rahul Gandhi) say lies with such confidence over Rafale? When I started looking into the details, I realised that in the last 55 years, in the saga of power-hungry rule, no deal was done without middlemen.”

To the charge that he and his Government are undermining institutions, Modi said: “Ulta chor chowkidaar ko dantte hain”. He said: “Congress imposed Emergency but they say Modi is destroying institutions. Congress insults Army, calls the Army chief a ‘goonda’ but they say Modi is destroying institutions. It creates stories that Army is doing a coup but Modi is destroying institutions,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Opposition had apprehensions over EVMs because they were “scared.” The Congress, he said, questioned the Election Commission and Electronic Voting Machines but is accusing him of destroying institutions. “Congress bullies the judiciary but they say Modi is destroying institutions. Congress calls Planning Commission a bunch of jokers… but Modi is destroying institutions,” Modi said.

He also said Indira Gandhi dismissed elected governments “over 50 times”, charged Congress with making defence deals with “Chachas and Mamas”, and with having “benami properties” abroad, an apparent reference to the ED’s allegations against Robert Vadra.

Taking potshots at the Opposition’s attempts to cobble up a Mahagathbandan against BJP, Modi said the voters, who had seen 30 years of coalition governments, would see the danger of a multi-party government. “In 2014, for the first time in 30 years, the people gave India its first full majority government. Now the Mahamilawat is about to come.”

As the Opposition benches started protesting, Modi warned: The public knows what happens when there is a milawat ki sarkar (adulterated government)”. Then, gesturing to the Treasury benches, he said, “Don’t worry, the Grand Adulteration people won’t come here…The voters understand how a maha milavat government can be harmful for the country… When the government has majority, the performance is undoubtedly different,” he said. Then he added specifically, “The voters do not want a Mahamilavat government of those who assembled in Kolkata,” referring to the coming together of 23 parties in Kolkata.