The PM accuses the Gandhis of openly urging foreign powers to meddle in order to affect national politics. They are secretly meeting ambassadors from other nations who are critical of the nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress on Sunday, the penultimate day of campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly elections, saying the “tukde-tukde gang disease” had reached such heights that Congress was “openly arguing in favour of Karnataka seceding from India”.
Addressing his last rally ahead of the May 10 polls in Nanjangud in Mysuru district, Modi said, “The Congress shahi family (reference to the Gandhis) came to Karnataka yesterday and said that they want to protect the sovereignty of the state. Do you know what this means? … When a country becomes free, it is called a sovereign country. What the Congress is saying is that it believes that Karnataka is not part of India … It means, the Congress openly is arguing for Karnataka to secede from India. I never thought that the ‘tukde-tukde’ gang disease would reach such heights.”
At a poll event in Hubballi, Karnataka, on Saturday, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said, “The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty or integrity.”
The Congress, the PM said, was “insulting freedom fighters of the state and patriotism of crores of Kannadigas”. He said, “This has been the history of Congress. They divided brothers and made states fight each other. Whenever they did so, the people of the country united to defeat them. For political oxygen, they want to come to power in Karnataka at any cost.”
Taking a dig at the Gandhis, Modi alleged that the Congress’s “royal family, shahi parivar” was at the forefront of working against the interests of the country. “I am saying this because I am hurt. This country will not forgive such acts … To influence politics in the country, this family is openly encouraging foreign powers to intervene. Secretly, they are meeting foreign diplomats who do not like the country.”
The PM claimed terrorists and criminal elements get emboldened if Congress assumes power. This, he said, was dangerous for national security. “We have seen repeatedly that for appeasement, the Congress stands with terrorists. We have seen that in Kerala and Karnataka. On May 10, when you vote you have to remember this. In many nations, we are noticing that wherever terror, anarchy and crime are spared there is destruction everywhere. Investments come only to places where the law-and-order situation is better,” Modi said, adding that only the BJP could ensure law and order.
This was the PM’s 19th rally of Modi in the poll-bound state since April 30, during which he also attended six roadshows in different parts of the state.
Earlier in the day in Shivamogga, Modi took a dig at Sonia Gandhi. Without naming her, he said, “Now, the Congress is so afraid and scared that when their lies do not work, then those who are not taking part in campaigning are being brought here. The Congress has started dumping the responsibility of defeat on each other.”
The prime minister also participated in a roadshow in Bengaluru on Sunday morning, the second in the city in as many days.
