Firing a fresh salvo at the Congress, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday charged that Sonia Gandhi’s “blind love” towards her son Rahul Gandhi (Maata Sonia Ka Andha Prem) had left the country in “ruins”. He also said the UPA government’s 10-year rule was “remote-controlled” by her and the country had been looted.
“Madam Sonia kept Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the PM’s chair till her son Rahul gets administrative knowledge, hoping that Rahul may be the future PM of India”, he said.
Referring to the book The Accidental Prime Minister — The Making and Unmaking Of Manmohan Singh, by the PM’s former media adviser Sanjaya Baru, Modi spoke about the casualties that accidents — involving scooters, trains or aircraft — would cause. “...but with an accidental PM, 125 crore people will die and the future of our youth will get immersed in darkness,” said Modi.
Stating that the UPA government’s 10-year rule had failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people, he asked the audience in Haveri what type of government they wanted. “You want a remote-controlled and hospitalised government like Congress?,” he asked. This was met by loud cries of “Modi’s government, Modi’s government”.
Modi said Congress has only one agenda — Modi Ko Roko (Stop Modi). “The Congress has no issues to take on the BJP in this election. I do not know why they are upset with BJP. I think they have a fear of losing this election,” he remarked.
‘Deve Gowda is Welcome in Gujarat’
Referring to JD(S) supremo and former PM H D Deve Gowda’s reported remark that he would leave Karnataka if Modi is elected PM, Modi said that he will roll out a red carpet to welcome him if he was ready to come to Gujarat.
“I respect Deve Gowdaji because he is the former PM and the son of the soil . If he is ready to come to Gujarat, I will extend him a hearty invitation and welcome him with open arms,” he said, addressing a huge gathering in Chikmagalur.
“As an elderly person, I look up to you as a father. You will be given comfortable shelter if you come to Gujarat. I promise that I will look after and take care of you more than your sons do,” he remarked.
Modi also questioned what late PM Indira Gandhi, whom the people gave a political rebirth, had done for the development of the district. She left the people of Chikmagalur in the lurch, he said.
He claimed he had a special relationship with Chikmagalur as he as a chaiwala who had come to the land of coffeewalas.
“Chikmagalur coffee fetches crores through foreign exchange. But coffee growers are in distress. The UPA government did nothing to bail them out. I had told Jairam Ramesh to start a Coffee Packaging Institution in Chikmagalur, during our visit in Delhi. There are no good educational institutions in Chikmagalur,” Modi said.
Lashing out at the UPA government for terming areca as carcinogenic, Modi said he was ready to help areca growers.
He also said the UPA government was “Looli, langdi (on crutches) and remote-controlled.” “I have a vision for the future of the country. My major thrust will be on two issues — development and good governance. I assure you that I will do my best to help the poor if I am given a chance. People seek change in this election. Lakhs of people have done a kind of tapasya today waiting for me for more than one hour in the scorching sun. I will see to it your tapasya does not go to waste,” Modi said.
“Give us 300 seats and send us to Delhi. We want more seats from Karnataka. Your dream is my dream, your problem is my problem and your future is my future,” he said.
In Chikballapur, Modi said measures will be taken to link all the rivers, which was a dream project of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Taking on Union Minister Veerappa Moily, Modi said he had failed to fulfill the promises he had made.
“People in the district are drinking fluoride-contaminated water which gives rise to diseases. The youths are being rendered weak from this,” he said.