JAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed the Gehlot government for alleged corruption in Rajasthan. Addressing an election meeting in Baytu assembly of Barmer district, the PM recalled the ‘red diary’ controversy and urged voters to “punish the corrupt and press the ‘lotus’ button as if you are hanging the corrupt.”
Modi asserted that not a single Congressman should win after the revelations of ‘lal diary’. He said that in five years, people in the state have not been able to celebrate any festival peacefully. “There have been riots, stone pelting and curfew. This has been the picture of Congress in the last five years. Therefore, it is essential to remove Congress from here,” he said.
Modi alleged that corruption lockers are being opened in Rajasthan, revealing looted goods, money and gold. On ED and Income Tax raids on Congress leaders, Modi dismissed the accusations about the agencies being misused. “When Modi is getting the investigation done, Gehlot saheb is cursing me. No matter how much they abuse, they will be punished. Those who have looted will have to go to jail, their accounts will be fixed, and I will do this work. This is Modi’s guarantee.”
Speaking in the water-starved desert region, Modi also criticised the Congress government for the alleged corruption in the Jal Jeevan scam. He pointed out that the Jal Jeevan Mission work was neglected in Barmer-Jaisalmer, with payments still being made. The PM alleged that arrangements were made to supply tap water to 50 lakh houses in Rajasthan, but the Congress government latched on to the scheme to loot the public money. “I send money under the Jal Jeevan Mission, but Congress people, forced by their habit, charge commission in that too. The land of Rajasthan remembers Lakha Banjara, who earned praises by managing water, but Congress people indulged in corruption even in the pious duty of managing and distributing water.”
The Prime Minister asserted that the people of Rajasthan have decided to replace the Congress government with the BJP. In a sharp response, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, after the emergence of four pages from the ‘lal diary’, accused the Central Government of conspiring against him. He suggested that the diary controversy originated within the Union Home Ministry and alleged BJP leaders, including minister Rajendra Singh Gudha, of hatching the conspiracy.
‘Tap water taken away’
In thirsty Barmer, Modi criticised the state govt for the alleged corruption in the Jal Jeevan scam. He pointed out that the Jal Jeevan Mission work was neglected in Barmer-Jaisalmer, with payments still being made. The PM alleged that Congress govt looted the public money.