Jamshedpur (Jharkhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the Congress and its former president Rahul Gandhi, asserting that any industrialist will think 50 times before investing in states ruled by them because “shehzada (the Prime Minister’s reference to Rahul Gandhi) speaks the Maoist language”.
Addressing an election rally In Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, Modi also accused the Congress of patronising dynastic politics and considering some Lok Sabha seats — a reference to Rae Bareli from where Rahul Gandhi is contesting — their "ancestral properties".
Taking a jibe at Gandhi, Modi said, “The language used by the Congress shehzada will make any industrialist think 50 times before investing in states ruled by the party. The shehzada is using language spoken by Maoists and is extorting money through innovative methods.”
The Prime Minister’s allegations came against the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi's reaction to his claim that the Congress received money from top industrialists. The former Congress president had said: “The PM talks about the Congress getting tempo-loads of money from Adani-Ambani, but he doesn't dare to get it probed.” He added: “The first question I will ask Modi is — What is his relationship with Adani?”
Campaigning for BJP's Bidyut Baran Mahto in Jamshedpur, Modi asserted that he has broken the backbone of the Naxals, but the Congress and the JMM have taken on the responsibility of “extorting funds”.
“I dare the Chief Ministers of the Congress and the INDI alliance states to answer as to whether they agree with the anti-industry and anti-industrialist language of their shehzada,” he said.
Taking a dig at Gandhi over his decision to contest from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, he said that the Congress shehzada rushed to the constituency, contending that it is my mummy's seat, which not even an eight-year-old schoolboy will say.
“His mother (Sonia Gandhi) said that she is handing over her son to Rae Bareli... She could not find even a single party worker devoted to them. The voters of Rae Bareli in turn ask her — where they were when people were in trouble during the Covid pandemic,” the Prime Minister said.
He alleged that the Congress is writing a "vasiyatnama" (will); they consider the Rae Bareli Parliament seats as "khandani jaidad" (ancestral property).
Earlier this month, the Congress announced Rahul Gandhi's candidature for the Rae Bareli seat, held by Mrs Gandhi for the last two decades. She recently moved to the Rajya Sabha.
Modi said that the Congress and JMM have nothing to do with the development of the country, as they are neck-deep in corruption.
"The Congress is the mother of corruption. It has been involved in numerous scams, including the coal and 2G scams... The JMM and the Congress are not concerned about industries... Jharkhand, despite its rich resources, is known for heaps of black money belonging to corrupt leaders. They did not even spare the Army and usurped its land. Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is rotting in jail for corruption," Modi said.
The Prime Minister also assured people that he will recover the looted public money from corrupt leaders in the state and return it to the poor, to whom the funds belong.
He accused the Congress of denying basic amenities to people and alleged that the condition of 18,000 villages was similar to that of the 18th century during the party's previous regimes.
"Modi gave Jan Dhan accounts to 52-crore people, pucca houses to 4-crore people, electricity to 18,000 villages, along with pure tap water, modernised railways and augmented infrastructure," he said.
The Prime Minister also alleged that the Jharkhand government was creating hurdles in the way of the proposed Dhalbhumgarh airport in East Singhbhum.
