Narendra Modi latched onto the controversial ‘all clear’ given to Congress politicians allegedly involved in the Adarsh scam to tear into Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for casting himself as an anti-corruption warrior, calling it an unparalleled example of audacity.
Addressing a well-attended rally at the MMRDA grounds in BKC, Modi said the clean chit to the biggies in Maharashtra Congress had exposed Rahul’s anti-corruption intent as a mere ploy. Referring to Rahul’s speech at a Ficci meet in Delhi on Saturday, the BJP’s PM candididate said, “The speech of a Congress leader yesterday left me befuddled. He belongs to a party which is neck-deep in corruption. But he spoke with such an innocent demeanour that it appeared he belonged to a different party. It was an unparalleled example of audacity. Look at the paradox. He was speaking of corruption just after the Congress government had tried to bury the Adarsh scam.”
His focus on Adarsh was a clear indication that the Congress’s attempt to help its leaders who have been accused of complicity in the scam may exact a political cost by undercutting Rahul’s effort to buffer the party from the charges of corruption.
Narendra Modi, just like during his recent speech in Varanasi, did not refer to Rahul Gandhi by name during his speech in Mumbai on Sunday. He also refrained from using the moniker shehzada (crown prince).
Saying that Congress was not serious about fighting corruption, Modi challenged the ruling party to sponsor legislation aimed at bringing back within three years the black money that Indians have illegally stashed abroad in foreign banks. Corruption was just one of the issues the BJP leader chose to attack the Congress on as he exhorted his audience to get rid of Congress rule. Attacking Congress for jeopardizing the future of the country’s youth, he said the Congress was mired in divisive politics and would stoke divisions to stay in power.
Modi, who seemed pleased with the turnout, came up with the attractive catch line: ‘Vote for India’. “We have so far voted for one party or another. The time has come to vote for India to free the country of corruption, nepotism, communal strife, price rise, vote-bank politics and bad governance,” Modi said as he proceeded to secure a pledge from the huge crowd. The conflation between a vote for him and national interest struck many as controversial, but went down well with the audience, which enthusiastically took the oath.
The catch line, in fact the tone of the speech as a whole, reflected Modi’s swelling confidence. “A wave is sweeping the country,” BJP’s PM candidate declared as he said that the poor identified themselves with him because of his humble roots as a tea vendor. “The poor are going be the new VIPs.”
The speech was marked by an outreach to some of his colleagues in BJP perceived to be either hostile or neutral towards his prime ministerial aspirations. Thus, party patriarch L K Advani was credited with the move to pressure the government to bring black money back. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has matched his feat of scoring three consecutive wins in assembly polls and who has, though unsuccessfully, been sought to be set up as a rival, came in for lavish praise.
Predictably, Modi showcased Gujarat’s achievements, and emphasized that the state scored over Maharashtra in power generation and providing efficient administration, but not before he had called the latter the elder brother as well as the cradle of Gujarati culture. Observers saw this as meant to assuage the radical, pro-Marathi section in the Sena. The Sena was not invited for the rally.
Modi raked up the irrigation scandal that wracked Maharashtra and besieged two NCP ministers. “Farmers in Maharashtra have to face drought. They choose to end their lives out of mounting debts. This is because of the wrong policies of the state government,” he said.
Modi humoured the city’s mercantile community by slamming the state government for introducing LBT in the state. “LBT stands for Loot Baantne ki Technique,” he said.
Police estimated the turnout at the MMRDA Grounds in the range of 2.2-2.5 lakh.
Thousands landed in the city for the Maha-Garjana rally on long-distance trains
Road transport took a hit as 500 BEST red buses were redirected to ferry people to the venue of the rally in BKC
Many autos and cabbies refused to ply to Kurla, Bandra, Sion and Santa Cruz
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