Cong alleges PM Modi using 'toolkit of cursing' previous govts

The Congress on Wednesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming he was again using his ''toolkit'' of ''cursing'' previous governments in Rajasthan but the people of the state will give a befitting reply as in Karnataka.

After Modi, at a rally in Ajmer, accused the Congress of betraying the poor during its 50-year rule, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said they do not take the remarks by the prime minister seriously as one who takes pride in giving free foodgrains to 80 crore people should realise that he has to do so as crores of people have fallen back into poverty.

''How can we take seriously the remarks of the Prime Minister who takes pride in giving free foodgrains to 80 crore people. ''The country's economy is in a shambles and the PM is using the toolkit to curse the old governments. He used this toolkit in Karnataka, where the public gave him a reply. Now you will get a befitting reply from the people of Rajasthan too,'' Khera said.

He said the World Bank ''from whom the Modi government is keen to get a certificate'' had stated that the Manmohan Singh government had brought 27 crore people out of poverty during the UPA government.

''Those 27 crore have once again fallen into poverty, and 14 crore more people have fallen below the poverty line during the BJP government. This is the reason that Narendra Modi has to provide 80 crore people free foodgrains,'' he said.

Referring to the main opposition party Congress, PM Modi said in Ajmer in Rajasthan that the Congress was angry because a ''son of the poor'' is not allowing them to do what they want and is ''raising questions on their corruption and parivarwaad (dynastic politics)''.

The prime minister accused the Congress of following a policy of misleading the poor and keeping them deprived during its rule. ''Fifty years ago, the Congress guaranteed that it will remove poverty. But it turned out to be their biggest betrayal to the poor.'' ''It has been a policy of the Congress to mislead the poor and keep them deprived. The people of Rajasthan have also suffered a lot due to this,'' Modi said.

The rally was organised to mark the completion of nine years of the Modi government across its two terms.

The nine years of the BJP government were dedicated to the service of people, good governance, and the welfare of the poor, he said.

Modi said that before 2014, people were on the streets against corruption and terror attacks rocked major cities while the Congress ran the government by remote control.

During its rule, the Congress developed a corrupt system that ''sucked the blood of the country'' and hindered development, he said.

Now, the prime minister said, people across the world are talking about India and experts are saying India is very close to ending extreme poverty.

Modi's Rajasthan visit assumes significance as assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)