Modi attacks Cong on home turf, invokes Gujarati pride

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tore into the Congress from his home turf in Junagadh in Gujarat, accusing the opposition party of involvement in a “Tughlaq Road Election Scam.” Without referring directly to any Congress leader, Modi alleged that money meant for food for poor children and pregnant women was snatched away.

"A new name has been added to the list of corruption by Congress party. A new scam, along with evidence, has been added to the account of Congress leaders, called the Tughlaq Road Chunavi Ghotala (Tughlaq Road Election Scam)," Modi said while addressing an election rally in Junagadh.

“In last 3-4 days you would have seen wads of cash of Congress leaders being found. It has not been even six months of government in Madhya Pradesh. After turning Karnataka into their ATM, now they have made MP their ATM. The fate of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will not be different,” he alleged. Modi was referring to the Income Tax raids on a close relative of MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath that has busted an alleged trail of money to the tune of Rs 281 crore.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which regulates I-T department, had claimed that the department also detected a suspected trail of Rs 20 crore allegedly being moved to the "headquarters of a major political party in Delhi" from the house of an important person who lives on Tughlaq Road. Many VIPs reside on this road.

He said “Congress has snatched food from poor children and is filling the stomachs of its own leaders. Congress is looting the money meant for pregnant women.” Without taking names, Modi said that many Congress leaders have been brought up to the jail door and will be put behind the bars over the next five years.

Milks Gujarati pride

Modi started his speech in Hindi but soon turned to Gujarati. He said prosperity and amenities will be there only if the country is safe. Invoking Gujarati asmita (pride), which Modi has been successfully milking in every election, he said “Aisi koi gaali nahi hai jo apke bete ko, apke iss chowkidar ko nahi di gayee ho (There is no abuse that has not been hurled on your son, this chowkidar).”

Modi told the gathering to compare BJP and Congress on the basis of BJP’s “track record” and Congress’s “tape record.” He claimed that BJP's track record includes development, fight against terrorism, among others, while Congress “tape record” has only one song - “Modi Hatao.”