Targeted by Congress over charges of illegal snooping, Narendra Modi Sunday alleged conspiracies were being hatched against him as the ruling party, "sitting in its ivory tower", was unable to digest his popularity.
Accusing Congress of muzzling free expression, he alleged that the party has targeted anyone who has spoken in his favour, including iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar and a leading global investment banking firm.
"These days, attacks on BJP have increased a bit.
Attacks on Narendra Modi have also increased. Attacks have increased because of this scene (a reference to the turnout).
"They are unable to bear or digest this. Don't know what kind of language is being used and the kind the conspiracies being hatched..... They are trying various ways and means to rattle BJP," Modi said at a rally, also attended by BJP President Rajnath Singh, held amid tight security at the sprawling Palace Grounds here.
Modi's remarks come amid allegations that his trusted aide Amit Shah as Home Minister had misused powers and police machinery for illegal surveillance of a young woman in 2009, an issue that has led to a slugfest between Congress and BJP.
Congress has demanded that BJP rethink its choice of PM candidate, but the BJP has trashed the allegations terming them "baseless".
Two investigative portals, Cobrapost and Gulail, had claimed on November 15 that Shah had ordered the illegal surveillance at the behest of one "saheb" and released taped conversation between Shah and an IPS officer to back up their claim, adding that its authenticity could not be confirmed.
Tearing into the UPA government, Modi said, "Congress is sitting in an ivory tower. They (the Congress) play indoor sport. We (BJP) play outdoor sport."
He also accused the Centre of failure to provide jobs to the youth and treating them just as voter-bank, saying while the UPA government's budget for skill development was Rs 1000 crore, a small state like Gujarat has allocated Rs 800 crore for it.
Alleging that Congress and UPA government played votebank politics, he said after coming to power in 2004, the Central government had overturned POTA thereby allowing terrorists and Naxals to go "scot-free".
He said there is a need for taking the country from a situation of chaos to clarity, from corruption to clean administration and from stagnation to buoyancy.
Some 5,000 security personnel were deployed during the visit of Modi, who landed at the helipad at the venue from the airport to address the rally, as the BJP seeks to cash in on the so called "Modi" factor to boost its prospects in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka where it yielded power to Congress in the May assembly elections.
Posters of rebel leader B S Yeddyurappa, who had deserted the party before the last election but supported Modi's nomination, were also visible near the venue. .
Modi alleged Congress did not believe in democracy and constitutional institutions and its priority was "vote bank politics".
He said in a democracy, everybody had the right to express opinion. "If some people say Modi has to be put in jail for life, don't they have the right to say it? If some people say that Modi should be hanged, don't they have the right to say? If somebody says Modi has to be made Prime Minister, does he not have the right to say so?
But, Congress did not have faith in democracy, he said, noting that merely because renowned playback singer Lata Mangeshkar said it would be good if he becomes Prime Minister, its leaders demanded she be divested of Bharat Ratna.
Similarly, some Union Ministers targeted Goldman Sachs, leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm, for stating that market sentiments had improved after Modi was declared BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.
The Congress even sought ban on opinion polls, he said, asking, "is it the language of democracy. They are not ready to listen to other parties' views." Whether the opinions are flashed on TV screens or not, people had already formed their opinion.
"..The time has come for your departure," he told the UPA government.
He also said "UPA is in power not because it enjoys majority but because of CBI. Whenever there is a threat of collapse, CBI knocks the doors of BSP and takes out this file or that file and out of fear people go to Congress to save the government."
Seeking to connect with Bangalore as the country's IT capital, Modi said the sector had grown thanks to the various initiatives of the Vajpayee government but its growth had now slowed down under the UPA rule.
Seeking to woo the youth, Modi said for the Congress they were only voters but for BJP "they are the power. Hindustan's power. Our priority is to empower the youth."
He opened his speech by congratulating Sachin Tendulkar and Prof CNR Rao on being honoured with the Bharat Ratna.
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