Ludhiana: Slamming the “delay” by UPA in granting ‘one-rank, one-pension' for ex-servicemen, Narendra Modi today accused Congress of playing “fraud” with the armed forces and mocked Rahul Gandhi's pitch on fighting corruption. Addressing a ‘fateh' (victory) rally with leaders from the ally Shiromani Akali Dal on the dais, the Gujarat Chief Minister, who donned a saffron turban, also dismissed as “rumours and a pack of lies” the controversy about migration of Sikh farmers from Kutch region in his state, promising that no Sikh farmer will have to leave Gujarat. He described the BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab as a symbol of Hindu-Sikh unity which has put to end the “Congress' game of divide and rule”.In his 30-minutes speech at a packed ground, Modi was unsparing in his attack on Congress and said the party was now throwing pepper instead of dust in the eyes of the people to befool them, a reference to the pepper spray incident in Lok Sabha involving an expelled Congress MP during the taking up of Telangana bill.The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate took potshots at the Gandhi family and Congress for targeting other parties on corruption.“I am surprised that the leader of Congress is now engaged in raising fingers on other political parties on the issue of corruption, when the entire ABCD has become the identity of the corruption of Congress. When Rajiv Gandhi was ruling the country as Prime Minister, there was no other party but only Congress, which was in power from Parliament to Panchayat.“At that time he had said that when he sends a rupee from Delhi, only 15 paisas reach the village. What was this ‘Panja' which used to rub the rupee (one rupee coin) and it would turn into 15 paisa,” Modi said, vowing that if he is elected Prime Minister he will occupy the top seat as a “chowkidar” (watchman) and won't allow the ‘Panja' (hand) to cast its shadow on the state treasury.He hit out Congress on one-rank, one-pension issue. After Rahul Gandhi's push, the government accepted the long-standing demand of ex-servicemen for ‘one-rank, one-pension' and allocated Rs 500 crore for the fund a few days back. This decision is expected to benefit around 30 lakh retired personnel of the Armed forces. Modi wondered why the government did not bring this proposal in previous budgets even as it was in power for last ten years.“The government, which is sitting in Delhi has always been playing a farce with the Armed Forces. Before this also, a number of times, the Finance Minister of Congress had made announcements about One Rank One Pension (OROP) but never fulfilled it.“Even this time since I am repeatedly talking about it, they have announced it but this is a “fraud” (dhokha) with you. Had Congress party been honest, they had the chance to it in 10 budgets from 2004 to 2014. But they did not do it,” Modi said.Maintaining that had the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee come to power in 2004, this would have been done, the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, “only our government will be able to implement it.”Modi also appeared to be reaching out to UPA ally National Conference as he mentioned Union Minister Farooq Abdullah among the leaders from whom he learnt how the administration is run.“I worked with Bansi Lal, Parkash Singh Badal, Om Prakash Chautala, Farooq Abdullah and I saw how administration is run. What could I learn from Badal Sahab, helped me a lot in running the government in Gujarat. Being with these seniors helped me a lot in administration,” he said. National Conference was earlier with NDA while BJP is likely to have an alliance with Chautala's INLD this time as well.Accusing Congress of cheating people, Modi said, “Now since they felt that you have become aware, they have engaged in throwing pepper in Parliament. Those, who used to throw dust are now throwing pepper so that people fail to see the sins and the bad governance of Congress.” On the issue of alleged displacement of Sikh farmers from Kutch region of Gujarat, he said that it was a false propaganda from certain elements.“I assure that no Sikh farmer will be displaced from Kutch and Gujarat,” he said amidst applause from the gathering.“If any officer does anything wrong he will go but no Sikh farmer will be displaced from Gujarat,” he said. “The people who are misguiding on the issue are posing a threat to the country,” he said adding that “the entire country is one”.
