In his first rally in Haryana during this election season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 8 May, alluded to alleged land scams under investigation and said the Congress has been reaping a “crop of corruption” in the state.
Targeting the previous state governments, he said, “They have done 'Brashtachar ki kheti' on farmers' land and the proof is in Haryana.” Modi stopped short of naming former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who faces an investigation.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra reacted sharply on Twitter to Modi's comments, though he too was not mentioned by name.
“How the game to snatch farmers’ land at throwaway prices was played whenever the Congress was in power in Haryana and Delhi, you know this,” Modi said.
“With your blessings, this ‘chowkidar’ took those who looted the farmers to court,” he added.
“They are running around for bail, going to ED (Enforcement Directorate) offices. They thought they were emperors and nobody could touch them, but and now they are feeling the heat," he added.
‘Opposition Has Given UP’
“I have taken them to the jail's door”, he said, asking for the people's “blessings” again so that he can now put them behind bars “within the next five years”.
The prime minister also targeted Congress over national security, corruption and the anti-Sikh riots in 1984.
He claimed that after five phases of Lok Sabha elections phases the Opposition now has given up the fight.
“Now the situation is quite clear. With the blessings of the countrymen, when the results are out by 23 May evening, it will be ‘Phir ek baar... (Modi government again),” he said.
"Be it Congress or their 'mahamilavati' allies they have given up the fight, and their intention to form a 'khichdi aur majboor sarkar' in Delhi has fallen flat,” Modi said.
“Your Chowkidar is working day and night to make India a global power,” he said.
“Can any country become a world power if its defence policy is not strong? Will the world listen to a nation which is unable to defend itself?” he said.
He said Pakistan used to indulge in barbarism towards our jawans and terrorist attacks took place frequently before 2014.
But a weak Congress government at the Centre responded only with statements, he claimed.
Modi Invokes Masood Azhar
Modi said his government gave a free hand to the armed forces and they are now striking deep inside Pakistan to kill terrorists, who are now running for cover.
He credited his government for the efforts which led to Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar being designated a global terrorist by the United Nations.
He also hit out at Congress for its poll promise to review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and scrapping the anti-sedition law.
“This means the Congress is publicly talking about giving a free run to the supporters of terrorism and stone pelters. The Congress, which raised objection to saying Bharat Mata ki Jai, is now promising to scrap the sedition law,” he said.
“The Congress wants that the 'tukde tukde' gang, those who abuse the country, insult our national flag and are supporters of Naxalism, be given a free run,” he charged.
Speaking in a constituency that has sizeable Punjabi population, Modi attacked the Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, alleging that thousands of Sikhs were killed on the directions of the “Congress parivar” and their “courtiers”.
He said justice was delivered to the victim's families during the present NDA government.
Without naming Kamal Nath, Modi said “A person, about whom questions were raised in connection with the anti-Sikh riots, was made the MP CM and by doing so the Congress made it clear that it does not care about your feelings”.
He slammed Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy over an alleged remark on soldiers.
“He said youths who do not get two square meals join the armed forces to fill their bellies,” Modi claimed, in apparent reference to a video which surfaced recently.
“Do the brave soldiers of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal join the forces because they do not get two square meals? This is an insult to our jawans. Can there be a bigger insult?” he said.
He criticised the Congress over the one rank, one pension scheme, saying it failed to implement it for ex-servicemen despite promises.
He said that Congress does not care for the soldiers and its governments had failed to set up any memorial to the martyrs.
“They set up memorials in the name of their family members in every nook and corner and crores of rupees from the exchequer were spent on them,” he said.
Polling for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase on 12 May.
‘Congress Did Not Even Spare My Mother’
Modi also accused the Congress of hurling abuses at him from its "love dictionary" and said the party did not even spare his mother.
"I stopped their corruption and challenged their dynasty because of which they wear masks of love and abuse me," he said in a rally at Kurukshetra.
The prime minister claimed that the Congress also compared him to Hitler, Dawood Ibrahim, Mussolini, etc.
“I am visiting my home, Haryana and Kurukshetra is a land of truth so from here I want to tell my countrymen what is their love dictionary and the words they use for me,” Modi said.
His remarks came after Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Monday that despite Modi insulting his father Rajiv Gandhi, he only had love for the prime minister.
"A leader of Congress called me 'gandi naali ka keeda' (an insect), one leader called me a mad dog, another one called me Bhasmasura. One more Congress leader, who was external affairs minister, called me a monkey while another minister compared me with Dawood Ibrahim," Modi alleged.
"They even abused my mother and even asked who my father is and remember all this was said after I became prime minister," he added.
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