Modi targets Rahul over alleged links to UK firm

Bhopal: On the eve of voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday questioned Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s association with a UK firm, Backops, saying his “scams were getting exposed from land, air and water”.

Addressing an election meeting in district headquarters of Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Modi said the company’s name was akin to the Congress leader’s actions of indulging in “back office operations” and not from the front. “He never worked for the company from the front and did operations from behind the curtains,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said the Union home ministry has served a notice on Mr Gandhi following a representation by BJP MP BJP MP Subramanian Swamy claiming that the Congress leader was associated with Backops firm as one of its directors.

“The company was shut in 2009. But, in 2011, when the UPA was in power at the Centre, a partner of the company was awarded a submarine deal contract. How did he get the deal? What was his experience in submarine?” Mr Modi wondered.

The Prime Minister said since the matter has come to light, the “naamdar and his raagdarbaris” (sycophants) have gone silent.

“The Bofors gun, helicopter (AgustaWestland chopper) and now submarine, as deep as you dig... Whether ‘jal’ (water), ‘nabh’ (air) and ‘thal’ (land), naamdar’s acts are coming out. Michel Mama (Christian Michel, an alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland chopper scam), is already blurting out secrets,” he said.

Mr Modi charged that the Congress means “falsehood, propaganda and cheating”.

Referring to the 10-year UPA rule under then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Modi  alleged that India lost an entire decade of the 21st century after the Congress installed “family loyalist” Dr Singh as the Prime Minister in 2004 because the “prince” was not ready and all efforts to “train” him went waste at that time.

Referring to Mr Gandhi’s corruption allegations against him, Mr Modi said, “The truth has come out. ‘Naamdar’ has accepted that false charges were levelled against me. His only aim was to malign the image of Modi. He (Gandhi) himself said in an interview yesterday.”

Mr Modi called for eliminating terrorism and Naxalism from the country, saying he has vowed to avenge every drop of martyrs’ blood.

Referring to the United Nations’ move of designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist”, Mr Modi said it is just the beginning as the country has a lot to do to settle scores.

He said basic infrastructure in the country should have been laid within 25 years of independence. But, it could not be achieved till date because of dynastic rule.

Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi, the Prime Minister said unlike the BJP the “mahamilawati” (grand adulteration) people have treated power as a means to multiply wealth.

Mr Modi said the mahamilawati people, referring to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, have always indulged in scams and encouraged corruption while for the BJP power is a medium to serve the people.