Ahmedabad, Sept 25: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had got “spoiled” in the company of Congress.
“Congress party had become a burden for our country. It has rotten, which is now visible in its public image,” Modi said at a public gathering at Vastral, city outskirts.
“When Manmohan Singh became the PM, he was a good person, we did not say anything against him. But, because of he being with the Congress, he has got spoiled; and if people like Manmohan Singh get spoiled by the rot in Congress, then we need to remove that rot,” he said.
“During the meeting of the Chief Ministers last year, four committees were formed, of which I headed one.”
“My committee submitted the report eight months ago, recommending steps to control price rise. The Prime Minister had then acknowledged our efforts in preparing that report, but he has not bothered even to open the cover of the report,” Modi said.
“I asked other leaders to remind the PM of doing something about that report”, he said.
The report, suggesting measures to control high food inflation, had recommended a ban on the futures trading in essential commodities.
Modi, in his speech, also referred to the internal dissensions in the Congress, talking about how the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram were at loggerheads while the Prime Minister had been a mute spectator.
Modi appeared to be in a combative mood on Sunday as he told the maha rally here that the Centre was conspiring to topple his government through the office of the Governor.
Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of conspiring to dislodge his government through Raj Bhavan even as the State Bharatiya Janata Party passed a resolution seeking recall of Governor Kamla Beniwal.
Addressing a big rally held at Vastrol on the outskirts of Ahmedabad to highlight what he calls “injustice against his government”, Modi said, “You (Congress), for the last three years, have used the Raj Bhavan to make a back-door entry to run a parallel government” in the State.
“This is a mega rally against the conspiracy hatched against my government,” Modi said adding, the Governor has “lost the dignity of the post” and demanded her recall.
“We have maintained silence since 2009 against the injustice by Governor's office, in order to maintain its dignity and grace,” he said.
Lashing out at the Congress, Modi said despite sustained efforts, the Congress has failed to come to power in the State.
“In 2004, just 24 hours after the UPA government came to power, the Congress had said that Modi should pack up as Centre will invoke President's rule here. Since then they are conspiring to remove my government,” Modi alleged.
The Modi government and the Governor have been at loggerheads since the latter appointed Justice R.A. Mehta as Lokayukta, bypassing the State government. The Modi government has challenged the decision in the High Court.
“The Congress has not been able to impress people of Gujarat for the last 20 years and they have remained out of power. So now they are trying to run a parallel government by using the Governor House,” Modi said.
“Can a State have two governments? What will happen if there are two governments in one State? Where will the people go?” Modi asked.
“My elected government is opposing the Governor with the aim of upholding the Constitution and procedures,” Modi said. Earlier in the day, the State BJP issued an open “charge sheet” against the Governor, and demanded her recall.
It passed a unanimous resolution and urged the Centre to recall her because she was “holding the highest Constitutional post yet she has been acting in a whimsical way which goes against the federal character of the Constitution”.
Hitting back at Modi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi, “Modi has a lot to hide... and keep it hidden”.
The Chief Minister doesn't want the Lokayaukta to go into his “corrupt deeds”, he said accusing Modi of “continuing in his true tradition of irresponsible utterances”.
In sharp contrast to his recently-concluded three-day fast, Modi's rally did not see the presence of senior BJP leaders.
An array of senior BJP leaders, including stalwarts like L.K. Advani had shared the dais with Modi during the Sadbhavana fast. While Modi claimed the occasion was aimed at fostering “communal harmony” in Gujarat, the Congress dubbed it as a “gimmick” and an attempt at an image-makeover ahead of the Assembly polls.
“Congress leaders are making the Governor visit districts, meetings with the district officers are organised, she gives direct orders to them; this is not in her ambit of powers,” Modi said at Sunday's rally.
“We tried to reason this thing out with the Governor. But the pressure of the Congress party (on her) is very high, and she cannot overcome it,” Modi said. PTI