PM brands Cong as graft’s hallmark; asserts end to its ‘culture of plunder’
Addressing BJP rally in Ch’garh’s Bastar, Modi reiterates Cong manifesto has Muslim League imprint
RAIPUR/JAGDALPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the opposition Congress, saying it overlooked needs of the poor for decades since Independence and never understood their pain.
Addressing the BJP’s ‘Vijay Sankalp Sankhnad’ rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, which will go to polls on April 19, he also said the Congress’ manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections has the imprint of the Muslim League.
“During the Congress regime, corruption had become the country’s identity, and the party thought it had a licence to loot. Since Independence, the Congress overlooked needs of the poor for decades and never understood their pain,” the PM said. “People said what will happen to the poor during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I said I will give free vaccine and ration to them,” he said, adding that “due to my government’s efforts, 25 crore people have risen above the poverty line.” Speaking at the rally in Chhote Ambal village, held in support of BJP candidates Mahesh Kashyap (Bastar) and Bhojraj Nag (Kanker), Modi said it is the poor that suffers most due to corruption. “Corruption destroys the rights of the poor. Before 2014, scams worth several lakh crore rupees were committed,” he said, adding that former PM Rajiv Gandhi himself had admitted just 15 paise out of every rupee allotted for development work reached the rightful beneficiary. “Whose claws snatched the remaining 85 paise? Modi has cancelled this licence of loot of the Congress.”
“The BJP government has sent Rs 34 lakh crore directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries in the last 10 years. Every rupee sent from Delhi has reached cent per cent to the poor,” Modi said.