Modi targets Gehlot on home turf; says Cong cares for 'vote bank', not Rajasthan

Addressing his third poll rally in a fortnight in Jaipur, Modi recalled the communal violence in the city last year and accused the Congress government of “appeasement”.

“When Jodhpur was burning during the riots, what was the chief minister doing? When there was violence here and innocent people were being killed, what was the Congress doing?” he asked.

“Is the first and the last policy of the Congress just appeasement? Be it Ramnavami, Parashuram Jayanti or Hanuman Jayanti, there is no festival when there is no news of stone pelting from Rajasthan,” he said.

Modi said when law and order is in such a state, there is no investment and trade suffers.

“But the Congress cares more about its vote bank than Rajasthan’s well-being,” he added.

The rally was held at Ravan ka Chabutara grounds in Gehlot’s Sardarpura assembly constituency in Jodhpur. It was a show of strength by the BJP on the chief minister’s home turf ahead of the assembly polls. Earlier, at a different venue, Modi launched development projects worth about ₹5,000 crore.

He said the Congress does not like the increasing influence of India, from America to Singapore.

“While opposing the BJP, the Congress has started opposing Bharat. Today, India's voice is being heard all over the world. But the Congress has a problem with this," the prime minister said.

Modi rakes up ‘red diary’ row

The prime minister referred to the “red diary” which a sacked Rajasthan minister claims to possess.

"You all have heard about the ‘red diary’. People say every black deed of Congress corruption is recorded in this red diary. If you want the secret of this red diary to come out, it is necessary for you to form a BJP government here," he said.

Modi said the Congress did not care about farmers or soldiers, but only for power.

"They can't see anything except the chair,” he said, also accusing the state government of creating hurdles in the implementation of the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission on drinking water.

"The BJP government at the Centre is making every effort for the development of Rajasthan, but it is very sad to see the situation here,” he said.

He claimed the Congress has made the state "top" the country in corruption and riots, and in atrocities against women and Dalits.

“There is gang war in broad daylight in Jodhpur city, which was known for peace. A businessman's son is kidnapped and brutally killed. A Congress MLA says she is not safe,” he said.

On government recruitment exams, he said, “The Congress, which promised unemployment allowance at the time of elections, handed over the youth here to the paper leak mafia.”

“When the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, it will bring employment, wipe out this mafia and bring development to every corner of the state,” he added.

Cong never supported women’s reservation: Modi

Modi took a dig at Gehlot for keeping away from the official event earlier.

"He was missing because he was confident that everything would be fine if Modi comes."

He claimed the passing of the women’s reservation bill in Parliament recently had exposed the Congress and its allies. “These people were never in support of women's reservation. That's why when this law was made, they became nervous," he said.

Modi said the Centre’s decision on Wednesday to make cooking gas cylinders cheaper for the Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will benefit 70 lakh families in Rajasthan.

Poverty is reducing rapidly in the country thanks to the policies made after 2014, he said. "In just five years, 13.5 crore people have come out of poverty,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)