Live reporting: Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi jab at each other in rhetoric
Rajnandgaon/Bahraich: Separated by a distance of more than 912 kilometres, prime ministerial aspirants for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections - Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi on Friday indulged in loud rhetoric to attack each other's
2:23 pm: Modi begins his speech. Describes Bahraich as Lord Brahma's 'tapobhoomi' (the land of penance). Recollects how he had to leave the post of party organising secretary and go to Gujarat to take up as chief minister.
2:28 pm: Wearing a pink Nehru jacket on a light green kurta, Modi says "the weather is changing, right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari". Says, people who are drunk with power, using power for their luxury, are now feeling threatened.
2:29 pm: Why am I being opposed so much? Is it because they are afraid of power slipping from their hands. I promise the people of India that I will not allow corrupt people to go scotfree.
2:31 pm: I want to ask the shahenshahs sitting in Lucknow, why you arrested our two MLAs in Jail (after Muzaffarnagar riots), who were relesed by court but again arrested? They are doing the vote bank politics. They don't have the courage to put criminals in jails, they can only throw innocents into jails, says Modi.
2:32 pm: Those who failed to defeat Modi in three elections in Gujarat, those who feel they can't stop Modi or BJP in a democratic manner, have adopted other methods. Misusing CBI, allowing Indian Mujahideen a free hand, they are doing the poltiics of bum, bandook and rajneeti, let them hear clearly, I am born of another 'mitti' (soil(). I am never going to bow down to terrorism. I will uproot terrorism, declares Modi. Loud applause from crowd.
2:34 pm: If you (Congress) have the courage, come and fight democratically, don't try to stab in the back. People of this country were never cowed down even by the British, the bullets of terrorists cannot stop India in its tracks towards development, says Modi
2:35 pm: I feel in the next elections, SP, BSP and Congress - this trio will not come into the field of elections. In the next elections, they wll field CBI, Indian Mujahideen will take charge of polls to save Congress, says Modi
2:36 pm: They are making a mockery of India's democracy. People in Bihar celebrate Chhat Pooja, which is more important than Diwali. But terrorists killed innocent people - Women lost their husbands, fathers lost their sons, children lost their fathers. What was their sin? Chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai?
2:38 pm: Govt is attacking democracy. Information & Broadcasting Ministry has ordered TV channels restraining them from comparing Gujarat chief minister's speech with PM's speech at Red Fort. This incident was of August 15, and the order is issued in October. They don't bother about the PM. They were bothered about Shahzada who was speaking the day I was addressing Patna rally.
2:41 pm: The question is even the opposition has the right to raise its voice in a democracy. Whether I am shown live on TV or not, we have made our place in the hearts of the people of India, says Modi.
2:42 pm: Has the Congress in its 60 years of rule, given jobs to young people, has it given medicines to the sick, has it given water to the farmers? Must the people of India give a resounding reply to the Congress?, says Modi, back into rhetoric.
2:43 pm: This state of UP has given 8 prime ministers to India. There are so many big leaders within this 100 km radius. I am the chief minister of a small state, who can't these big leaders do anything for UP? Did they do anything good for you? For how long will you bear them? The time is up. The time has come for them to leave.
2:45 pm: Four generations of leaders (Nehru clan) from this state led the country. All of them were from UP. Even if only UP had progressed, India could have progressed. But India is still backwards. All they have done is votebank politics, helping out people in setting up Indian Mujahideen modules.
2:43 pm: This state of UP has given 8 prime ministers to India. There are so many big leaders within this 100 km radius. I am the chief minister of a small state, who can't these big leaders do anything for UP? Did they do anything good for you? For how long will you bear them? The time is up. The time has come for them to leave.
2:45 pm: Four generations of leaders (Nehru clan) from this state led the country. All of them were from UP. Even if only UP had progressed, India could have progressed. But India is still backwards. All they have done is votebank politics, helping out people in setting up Indian Mujahideen modules.
2:49 pm: Modi recounts how he brought 24-hour power supply in Gujarat. Asks people, are you getting power? People say No. In UP, power cut is not news, power supply is news for the common man. Power supply is there only in the UP young chief minister's constituency and in (Azam) Khan saheb's cosnstituency.
2:51 pm: The earlier CM had love for elephants, the present CM wants lions from Gujarat for a lion safari. He should have sought cows from Gir, Amul type milk movement from Gujarat, power from Gujarat, but he has no love for the common man.
2:54 pm: Both SP and BSP are in the race of minting money, and getting criminals in their parties. Both SP and BSP are protecting the government in Delhi. If these parties want, can they bow the Centre or not? Modi asks people rhetorically. Are they asking for airports, railway lines? SP, BSP leaders never demand anything for UP, they only want help to save themselves from CBI. Even Mamata Didi in Bengal demands projects from Delhi, but these SP, BSP leaders are more concerned about themselves and their family members.
2:56 pm: Modi praises MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, saying in 10 years of rule he has improved roads, power supply and provided water to farmers. If MP can stop to become a BIMARU state, why can't UP, he asks the voters.
3:02 pm: Modi recounts how he ordered a novel method of hiring teachers in Gujarat. To stop nepotism, favouritism, he says, ordered that there should be no tests and interviews. I just said, feed the marksheets of all applicants, and those had the highest marks, be appointed directly. Crowd applauses.
3:08 pm: Modi mentions the speculations by political pundits about the number of seats BJP may win. "Some say it could be 180, some say 200. some say 220, I want the people of UP to give a resounding boost to our party (UP has 80 seats), and provide India with a stable government which can take the country forward".
3:09 pm: When Modi ended his speech with Bharat Mata ki Jai, there was half-hearted shouts. "Clench both your fists and shout Bharat Mata Ki Jai, so that the men of Indian Mujahideen shiver". The crowd stood up and shouted a full-throated Bharat Mata ki Jai several times.