Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday denounced the ruling Congress in Rajasthan, saying that its “dark deeds” had been recorded in a red diary, which would ensure its defeat in the upcoming State Assembly election. Sacked Minister Rajendra Gudha had sought to table the diary in the Assembly earlier this week, claiming that it contained the details of questionable transactions by the Congress.
Addressing a BJP rally in Sikar, Mr. Modi said that the diary was a fresh product of the Congress’ loot ki dukaan (shop of plunder), which would expose several party leaders and destroy their political career. The PM also claimed that a recruitment paper leak industry was thriving in the State, arguing that the future of Rajasthan’s youth could not be secured unless the Congress was removed from power.
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Responding to Mr. Modi’s remarks, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the red diary was just “an imagination” and urged the Prime Minister to instead pay attention to “red LPG cylinders and red tomatoes”. Speaking at a Labharthi Samvad programme, Mr. Gehlot said, “Mr. Modi cannot see the faces of people which have turned red because of spiralling prices. People are going to show him the red flag in the elections.”
Opposition’s new name
“Rajasthan is witnessing only one voice and one slogan this time: lotus will win and lotus will bloom,” Mr. Modi said. The Congress was the “biggest directionless party” in the country and its methods were similar to those adopted by the enemies of the country, he said
The PM took a potshot at the Opposition’s new coalition, saying they had changed their name from UPA (United Progressive Alliance) to INDIA (Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance) to hide their past wrongdoing. “Congress and its allies have changed their name just like the fraud companies have been doing it, but the people cannot be misled by the use of the country’s name,” he said.
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“India was there in the names of East India Company, Students’ Islamic Movement of India, and Popular Front of India. But the intention of these organisations was to destroy India... Congress has stooped to the same level,” Mr. Modi said. He added that the sincerity of the Opposition parties was questionable, going by their behaviour during the surgical strike across the Line of Control and the skirmishes in Galwan.
Wooing Rajasthan voters
This was the Prime Minister’s seventh visit to poll-bound Rajasthan during the last six months. Mr. Modi said that, over the last nine years, the BJP government at the Centre had given Rajasthan four times the tax share, in comparison with what had been given during the 10 years of the UPA regime.
He earlier dedicated 1.25 lakh Kisan Samriddhi Kendras to the nation and transferred ₹17,000 crore to the bank accounts of 8.50 crore farmers under the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, apart from inaugurating five new medical colleges in Rajasthan.
Snafu over CM invite
There was a war of words between the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Mr. Gehlot over the latter’s participation in Mr. Modi’s official programme in Sikar. Mr. Gehlot alleged that his pre-scheduled three-minute address in the event had been cancelled at the last moment, but the PMO claimed that it was the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) which had begged off.
The CMO had informed the Union government that Mr. Gehlot would attend the programme through video conferencing because of his foot injury, while the PMO affirmed that he had been duly invited in accordance with the protocol, but his office said he would not be able to join. Mr. Gehlot then listed his demands pertaining to Rajasthan through a tweet.
Mr. Gehlot, who watched the programme from his residence in a non-interactive mode, told reporters that the way his participation had been handled went against the spirit of the federal system. He said that Chief Ministers were always invited to events related to Centrally-sponsored schemes, because the State and Union governments worked together for their implementation.
