"Congress trying to divide Hindu society": PM Modi in Gujarat's Surendranagar

SURENDRANAGAR:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of trying to "divide the Hindu society". While addressing an election rally in Gujarat's Surendranagar on Thursday, PM Modi claimed that Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge gave a statment related to Lord Ram and Lord Shiv with "malicious intent".

"Congress is trying to divide the Hindu society. They want to create a fight between Ram bhakts and Shiv bhakts. Mallikarjun Kharge has given a very dangerous statement related to Lord Ram and Lord Shiv. That statement is given with malicious intent. Our traditions that have been going on for thousands of years... those traditions which even the Mughals could not break, now the Congress wants to break them," PM Modi said.

"A month ago, their 'Shehzaada' said that he would destroy Shakti. We are the worshippers of Shakti. 'Shehzaada' said that he would destroy Shakti. Can the devotees of Shakti forgive this? How low will Congress stoop for appeasement?" he added.

The Prime Minister further claimed that the Congress party has lost its "balance" since he "exposed their truth" over the reservation.

"Ever since I have exposed the truth of Congress's actions against SC/ST/OBC before the nation, Congress has lost its balance, Congress has become nervous and is telling lie after lie," PM Modi said.

Taking the attack against the Congress party further, the Prime Minister alleged that the country was "putting its head down in shame" over crores worth scam by the former.

"10 years ago, our country used to put its head down in shame over the scams worth lakhs and crores. There was not a single day when the news of scams did not make headlines in the newspapers. 2G scam, coal scam, defence scam, CAG scam, helicopter scam, submarine scam, Commonwealth scam. Congress had committed scams worth thousands of crores of rupees across water, land and sky. 10 years ago, the whole world considered India a burden and said that India would sink itself and take us down with it. Some people said that it is a poor and weak country," he said.

"Our neighbours used to carry out bomb blasts almost every day, killing innocent people. Big companies did not even think of coming to India. Today India's name is ringing in the world and all this has been possible because of your one vote. Today there is competition among big companies to come to India. India is becoming self-reliant today. Those who send terrorists know that India today strikes back in their home turf," PM Modi added.

PM Modi further claimed that the Congress has vowed to provide a "fixed quota" to Muslims. "They (Congress) have written in their manifesto that now in all the government tenders, a quota will be fixed for Muslims.

Now reservation based on religion will be introduced in government contracts also," he said.

Voting for 25 out of 26 seats in Gujarat will take place in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7.

Voting will not take place in Surat as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week after Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected while other candidates withdrew from the contest. The results will be announced on June 4.