PM Modi slams Cong, says anyone who speaks truth in party is shunted out

Jaipur, Nov 22 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of punishing Sachin Pilot after meting out the same treatment to his father Rajesh Pilot, saying anyone who speaks the truth in the party is shunted out of politics.

Pilot hit back, saying there was no need for anyone other than the party and the people to worry about him.

At a public meeting in Kotri of Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, Modi said, 'Whoever said or spoke anything in front of the Congress family... is as good as finished.' 'Rajesh Pilot ji had once challenged this Congress family for the party's good, but this family is such that after punishing Rajesh ji, they are bent upon punishing his son also,' Modi said.

He was apparently suggesting that the late Rajesh Pilot lost favour with the Congress leadership after contesting against Sitaram Kesri for the party president's post in 1997.

Sachin Pilot has been involved in a power tussle with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the prime minister has been referring to it in his poll campaign. Modi also charged that Congress makes anti-people and anti-national decisions.

'The Congress' policy is to be soft on terrorists, rioters and criminals. And the policy of the Congress is blatant corruption. These policies of the Congress have taken Rajasthan to the top in crime,' he said.

Modi said the pride of Rajasthan is the pride of the entire country, but under the rule of Congress, the culture of Rajasthan is also under great threat.

'The path taken by Congress for appeasement will lead Rajasthan towards destruction. Congress has given free rein to fanatic people here,' he charged.

He said Chief Minister Gehlot does not have the right to stay even for a moment in the state.

'When ministers give clean chit to rapists in the Assembly, how can our mothers, sisters and daughters remain safe? Congress has left no stone unturned in looting Rajasthan in the last five years,' Modi said.

The need of the hour is to remove the Congress government from Rajasthan forever.

'Your one vote for lotus can wipe out Congress. The lotus button should be pressed and Congress should be wiped out,' Modi told the gathering.

Earlier addressing a rally in Sagwara of Dungarpur district, Modi asserted that his guarantee outweighs all 'false promises' made by the Congress, and asked the people of Rajasthan to wipe out the Gehlot government to free the state from oppression and corruption.

Modi's guarantee, he said, begins from where the hope from Congress for the welfare of the poor and public ends.

        'Wipe out Congress and free Rajasthan from riots, crimes and corruption. Congress departure is also necessary for quick implementation of Centre's schemes,' he said.  He said that the Congress government has 'committed scam' in every government recruitment in Rajasthan.

'There is such a business between Congress leaders and their close ones that their children became officers and your children are selectively thrown out,' he said, adding the people of Rajasthan should note it down that the Gehlot government will not return to the state.

Responding to PM Modi's claim, Sachin Pilot told PTI, 'My late father contested the election for Congress president's post along with Sharad Pawar against Sitaram Kesri in 1998. At that time, Sonia Gandhi was not in active politics. Kesri won that election and subsequently nominated both Pawar and my father to the working committee.

That is the way a healthy democratic organisation and political party should function, he said.

'As far as I am concerned, I was given an opportunity to become a member of Parliament at a very young age and I have held many responsibilities at the Central government and the state level for many years,' said Pilot, who is contesting the assembly election from Tonk.

He said no one should worry about him and his political future. 'As far as I am concerned, I feel that no one needs to worry about my present and future. My party and people will worry about that and will take good care of me.' Rajasthan goes to polls on November 25 and the results will be declared on December 3. PTI AG SDA NSD NSD