China encroached on our land but PM Modi is silent: Congress chief Kharge
Shimla, May 25: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday alleged that China has encroached on India's land and is constructing houses and roads but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent.
Where is the 56-inch chest, Kharge asked, taking a dig at the prime minister in his address at a rally in Himachal Pradesh's Rohru.
The Congress chief said his party is fighting to save the people of the country and the Constitution. If the Constitution is not saved, democracy and the rights granted under it would be snatched, he said.
"The Modi government supports the rich, while the Congress is with the poor. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru built infrastructure which helped the poor," he said.
Modi's government has "sold public assets created by the Congress to Adani-Ambani" and he is now asking the Congress to give an account of 55 years (of rule), Kharge said. "We will give account of every penny but Modi should first give account of his tenure."
"We fought against Pakistan and got independence for Bangladesh. China encroached on our land and is constructing houses and roads and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent. Where is the 56-inch chest?"
Accusing the BJP of attempting to topple the democratically elected Congress government in Himachal Pradesh using money power, he also cited the examples of Maharashtra, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Goa.
Kharge alleged the BJP misused federal probe agencies to intimidate and put pressure on opposition leaders. Citing the example of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, the Congress chief claimed that he was threatened by the BJP which asked him not to join the INDIA bloc and later jailed him when he refused.
Claiming that PM Modi's desperation was becoming evident in his speeches, the Congress president said, "He talks about Hindu-Muslim and caste divide. The BJP does not want social harmony and is dividing the people."
"Modi is abusing the Congress as he is afraid of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and is taking their names more than he takes the name of God," Kharge said.
He also hit out at the Centre for allegedly not providing aid to the Himachal Pradesh government in the aftermath of the natural calamity during the monsoon last year.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had sought Rs 10,000 crore aid from the Centre after the floods but got only stones, Kharge claimed.
At the rally in the apple belt in Shimla district to garner support for Congress candidate from Shimla (SC) parliamentary constituency Vinod Sultanpuri, the party president said PM Modi had promised to ensure remunerative returns to apple growers but he reduced import duty and harmed the interests of growers.
"Modi tells lies. He says something and does the opposite," Kharge alleged.
He asked people whether they got Rs 15 lakh which PM Modi had promised to give by getting black money parked in Swiss banks back to India, whether 20 crore jobs were given and whether the income of farmers doubled.
Talking about the Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, Kharge said that besides the 25 guarantees, minimum wages, Rs 1 lakh for women, caste census and social justice are focus areas of the party.
The Congress has implemented its promises in Karnataka and Telangana and would do the same in Himachal Pradesh, Kharge said, adding that women would get Rs 1,500 per month after the elections are over.
Taking a dig at PM Modi, the Congress chief said the cost of the bullet train has increased from Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 3 lakh crore and it has not been constructed yet.
Kharge said that immediately after coming to power after the Lok Sabha polls, his party would fill 30 lakh vacancies in government departments, a Rs 5,000-crore fund would be created under Yuva Roshani for start-ups, a policy would be framed to check paper leaks, loans of farmers would be waived and farmer-friendly import-export policy would be brought.
He also promised GST-free farming, providing compensation to farmers and ensuring crop insurance in 30 days.
Later addressing a press conference in Shimla, Kharge exuded confidence that the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners would form government from June 4. People are against the BJP due to rising unemployment and inflation, Agniveer, miserable condition of farmers and misuse of constitutional institutions by the BJP, he claimed.
The BJP is like laundry where the tainted people get cleaned, he claimed and added that tainted leaders who joined the BJP are now clean and have got plump postings.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
