Rampant corruption in Rajasthan creating huge losses for the nation: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the “corruption and nepotism” rampant in the State were creating huge losses for the nation.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress government in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the “corruption and nepotism” rampant in the State were creating huge losses for the nation. The future of the youth was being compromised, and the money allocated for Central schemes was being diverted, Mr. Modi alleged.

Mr. Modi was addressing public meetings in Churu district’s Taranagar, and in Jhunjhunu ahead of the State Assembly election. He said the Congress party and development contradicted each other as the ruling party in the State was involved in recruitment exam paper leaks, fertilizer scam, and looting farmers on the pretext of loan waivers.

The BJP has fielded Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Rajendra Rathore from Taranagar. Mr. Modi likened the Congress to a cricket team whose players, instead of scoring runs, had spent the past five years trying to outdo each other within the party. “In cricket, a batsman comes and scores runs for his team. But here, these people are busy running out each other,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Congress was unable to serve the people because of infighting and called upon the people to vote for the BJP in the November 25 election to ensure rapid development of the State. He said the BJP, if elected to power, would throw out all corrupt people, investigate the paper leak cases, and review the high petrol prices prevailing in the State.

“The more you stay away from the Congress, the more you will save Rajasthan. You will protect your own future if you vote Congress out of power,” Mr. Modi said. He said the people in the country should be proud of new achievements being made by the BJP government at the Centre, which had generated confidence for “making India a developed nation by 2047”.

Mr. Modi targeted the ruling Congress over the “red diary” once again, saying the entire account of the party’s illegal transactions had been recorded in its pages. “The magician’s magic is visible in the red diary. When its pages opened, the party’s leadership was disturbed,” he said, making a reference to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Mr. Modi sought to connect the Shekhawati region, comprising Churu, Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts, from where a large number of youths join the Armed Forces every year, with the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue. He said the Congress had kept the ex-servicemen in trouble over the OROP issue for long, and made them suffer.