Congress is Promoter of Graft: Modi

Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a scathing attack on the Congress saying that the party shunned development and promoted corruption when it came to power in a state.

“Wherever there is Congress rule, there is corruption and no development. The Congress party and development cannot exist together,” Mr Modi said while addressing an election meeting in Kanker under Bastar in Chhattisgarh.

Mr Modi said that the Congress can never work with honest intention and alleged that the grand old party always looted the public money when it came to power in a state to fill its coffers.

Many scams and scandals had broken out during the Congress-led UPA rule at the Centre, he said.

Mr Modi said that the Congress has been out of power at the Centre in the last 10 years and hence the party filled its coffers by looting the public money from the states ruled by it.

“Wherever the Congress is in power in the state, it is looting the people there,” he alleged, accusing the Bhupesh Baghel government of indulging in corruption. Mr Modi said that many mega scandals happened during the current dispensation in Chhattisgarh.

In a sarcastic remark targeting the Bhupesh Baghel government, Mr Modi said that the Congress had promised to enforce prohibition in Chhattisgarh before the 2018 Assembly polls, but the state Congress government has instead delivered a liquor scandal.

The Prime Minister also accused the Bhupesh Baghel government of misappropriating the district mineral funds set up in the mineral-rich areas for undertaking developmental works in those particular areas.

Mr Modi said that the state Congress government had asserted that around 300 "gauthans" (cattle shelters) had been established in Chhattisgarh. However, upon verification by the Centre, it was found that around 250 "Govardhan" facilities were fraudulent and not in operation.

Referring to irregularities in the recruitments by the state public service commission, he said that nepotism and corruption marked the recruitment process, benefiting the children of some political leaders.

“I am worried about the future of your children. I pledge that the one who looted Chhattisgarh and betrayed the youth, no matter how powerful he is, will not be spared,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi slammed the Bhupesh Baghel government for depriving houses to the poor people in the state by not implementing the Prime Minister Awas Yojana.

Mr Modi said that the Centre had unveiled a scheme to provide free rations to the poor, but the Bhupesh Baghel government also indulged in corruption in this scheme.

The five-year rule of the Congress in Chhattisgarh had ensured the growth only of the Congress leaders and their children, he alleged.

Mr Modi said that the BJP always strives for the uplift of the poor and underprivileged and added that the Centre’s focus has always been on the welfare of the weaker sections of society.

He said that only the Congress can make false promises by swearing on "Ganga ji" and claimed that the BJP always delivers on what it promises.

“We have achieved the tasks that looked impossible nine years ago because Modi guaranteed them. Modi’s guarantee means guarantee of fulfilment of every guarantee,” he said.

Chhattisgarh is going to hold Assembly polls in two phases -- on November 7 and November 17.

Twelve Assembly constituencies in Bastar are among the 20 seats that are going to the polls in the first phase of polling in the state on November 7.

The remaining 70 Assembly constituencies are going to the polls in the second and final phase of polling on November 17.