Entire Congress leadership ‘out on bail’, says Modi

Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 3 (IANS) Virtually launching the election campaign in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the entire Congress party, including its President Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Rahul Gandhi and others were "out on bail" on corruption charges against them and called the Virbhadra Singh cabinet as "government on bail".

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of a Rs 1,350 crore 750-bed AIIMS hospital in Bilaspur, a unit of SAIL steel plant and an IIIT building in the state, he said, "Everything here is on bail. The party (Congress) is on bail, the government is on bail."

"This is a 'zamanati sarkar'. When some people of Congress came to meet me, I told them the Chief Minister and his entire family is out on bail, and why don't you change the Chief Minister," Modi said referring to Virbhadra Singh, who is facing cases of disproportionate property and is out on bail.

"Then the Congress people replied saying that our entire party is on bail, our (Congress) President is facing corruption charges."

Taking a dig at the Congress leadership, Modi went on to add, "Sonia Gandhi is out on bail in the National Herald case, similarly 'yuvraaj' (prince) is out on bail in the National Herald case. Everything is on bail -- the party, its leaders and its government are out on bail."

"Now tell me, don't do we need to oust this government which is out on bail?" he asked the crowd which cheered with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram".

Highlighting the corruption during the Congress-led UPA government, Modi said, "Before 2014 everyday newspapers were filled with stories of corruption. But in the last three years there is no stain of corruption on our government," Modi said.

"Earlier, people used to ask how much money was lost in scams like coal, 2G, land, water, air etc., how much amount was lost. But now people ask how much money has come to India?" he said.

He also slammed the earlier Himachal and central governments for delaying projects in the state, and said, "The Rs 70 crore project of a steel plant was delayed for over seven years."

"If one has to understand how the government works then one must go into a case of Kangra steel plant. Here one department used to pass the buck to another, and that to yet another... as every department was having a Prime Minister," he said.

"How did the government function earlier? One government used to run through remote control," he said in an apparent jibe at the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh.

He also said that his government has approved work on 13 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the state which will not only bring employment but also boost the tourism sector in the state.

In his 40-minute address, Modi also talked about 'One Rank, One Pension' related to the Indian armed forces.

"I had announced during the Mandi rally that we will give One Rank, One Pension. We have disbursed three installments that has benefitted ex-servicemen. Close to Rs 8,500 crore has been distributed and the fourth installment would be released soon," he said.

Modi said "the BJP would fulfill the dreams of Himachalis" once it comes to power in the state.