Narendra Modi keeps up attack on 'shahzada'

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi made another scathing attack on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today, saying nobody understood what “shahzada (prince)” was talking about.

“Shahzada spoke at a rally here. Did anyone understand what he spoke? Everybody is confused what he said, why he said and for whom he said,” Modi told a rally in Udaipur, his first in Rajasthan after the announcement for elections to the state assembly was made. The polls would be held in the state in December.

Modi mocked at Rahul’s unannounced visit to the victims of communal violence in Gopalgarh, Bharatpur district, in 2011.

“The shahzada rode pillion on a stolen bike to lecture about communal amity but he did not inform chief minister Ashok Gehlot about his visit,” Modi said and asked the crowd whether they deemed Gehlot fit for rule when his own party leaders did not trust him.

On Friday, Modi asked “shahzada” to apologise to the country for saying that Pakistan intelligence agency ISI had contacted 10-15 youths whose family members had been killed in Muzaffarnagar communal clashes.

Referring to the issue again, Modi said, “I tried finding out where ISI story came from. A police officer in Rajasthan is seeking an election ticket, he weaved a story and we heard it.”

The Gujarat strongman again took a dig at Rahul’s emotional speeches over the past few days.

“Influenced by TV and daily soaps, the 'shahzada' is not talking about the issues concerning the people, but a family serial,” he said.

Citing Rahul's speeches on communalism, Modi said the Congress is trying to teach BJP lessons, but questioned if it had faith in Gehlot government, and if it did then why did Gandhi visit an area hit by communal riots in 2009 without informing the state government.

"Why did he come to visit Gopalgarh without telling anyone, without telling the CM, if he trusted this government?" he said.

Gopalgarh in Bharatpur had seen communal riots in 2009 in which 10 Meo Muslims were killed in a clash sparked off by a dispute over a well.

He said even Human Rights Commission and Minorities Commission did not trust the government, as the latter has said Rajasthan government cannot protect minorities.

“So can you trust this state government?" he said.

Targeting Gehlot government’s record of governance, he said the governor of Rajasthan, Margaret Alva, who is from Congress, had said if the government cannot implement tribal welfare schemes, then let her do it.

“Would you like this type of government to stay in the state? They have ruined Rajasthan," he told the gathering comprising largely the local tribals.

“No scissors are available because in the last few months the state government has been busy in cutting ribbons,” he said, referring to a host of projects inaugurated by the state government over the past few months.

He said a senior official directly blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the coal scam, referring to former coal secretary PC Parakh, who reacted to his name figuring in a FIR by saying that if he was indicted, then the PM should be too.

"If this kind of allegation would have been levelled against me, Vasundhara ji or (Madhya Pradesh chief minister) Shivraj ji (Singh Chouhan), we would have run into problems,” he said.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SPEECH

• There were so many inaugurations by the Rajasthan govt that there were no scissors left. The scissors were used to cut your pockets.

• I asked Gulab Chand ji when was the last time such a function happened, he said this is for 1st time entire stadium is full

• During Vajpayee's rule, mirchis (chillies) were Rs 50/kg, now it's 200/kg. Yeh mirchi kisne lagaayi?

• The governor of Rajasthan is from your party, shahzada appointed her and she is saying if you cannot implement schemes, build roads, let me do it

• Arrogance of the Congress is sky high and that is why they are not bothered about things

• Is Congress telling you what they did? They said prices will be down in 100 days. What happened?

• We will open a Pandora's box of Congress' secrets, not even 200 days are left for elections

• Have not seen a CM like Vasundhara ji who was asking me every time Modi ji Narmada Ka Pani Lao- always concerned about farmers