PM addresses tens of lakhs of BJP workers virtually in poll-bound Karnataka, slams "revdi culture"
Bengaluru (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed through virtual mode tens of lakhs of BJP workers exhorting them to strengthen booth-level campaigning for the coming Karnataka Assembly elections, to win with majority, and made a strong pitch for ending "revdi culture" (culture of distributing freebies).
Modi also hit out at the Congress on the issue, saying when the party's warranty itself has expired, its guarantees have no meaning.
For Karnataka polls, Congress has announced guarantees' that include 200 units of free power to all households, 10 kg of rice free to every member of BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years, on coming to power.
The Prime Minister said states are getting immersed in debt because of freebies, and emphasised that the country and the governments cannot be run like this.
"In our country some political parties have made politics the means of power and corruption, to achieve this, they are using all means like 'saam, dham, dhand, bedh'. These political parties don't think about the future of the country, future generation of Karnataka, its youth, women," Modi said.
The PM's address to BJP workers was part of the party's effort to boost its campaign for May 10 Assembly polls.
The party said earlier this week about 50 lakh workers from 58,112 booths would attend this "virtual rally" of the Prime Minister.
The State BJP is looking to Modi to bolster its campaign.
The Prime Minister is slated to undertake a whirlwind two-day tour of the State from Saturday during which he is scheduled to address six public meetings and hold two road-shows.
Noting that people of Karnataka have huge trust in state BJP, Modi told party Karyakartas that "Your effort in every booth will make BJP win with record seats."
"We have to make people understand our programmes, benefits of double engine governments at the booth level by sitting and talking to them. Those who have the responsibility to make long speeches will do it, but karyakartas have to put their strength in booths and win the booths."
For the fast-paced all round development, a strong and stable BJP's government with full majority is important, the Prime Minister said, adding that the people of Karnataka are ready to form such a BJP government in the state, "breaking all the records".
"I will also work with you (karyakartas) in the coming days as a BJP karyakarta to seek the blessings of people of Karnataka and win the trust of Kannadiaga," he said, stressing on victory in booths
Modi said because of freebie politics, several States are making large scale spendings for the sake of partisan politics, which is also eating into the "share" of future generations.
"The country cannot be run like this, governments cannot be run like this. Governments have to think about the future, along with the present. Governments cannot run just for day-to-day needs, they have to work on asset creation, so that the lives of families are on track for decades," he added during the "Karyakartarondige Samvada" (an interaction with workers)
Modi affirmed that the BJP was not taking the shortcuts, but was working for developed India with good investment in modern physical, digital and social infrastructure, and that his other interpretation for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) is 'First Develop India'
"BJP doesn't think about five years of its own rule, but thinks about the country. We don't think about the party but think about the country. We don't think just about present electoral politics but about taking India ahead in the next 25 years."
To address some temporary challenges, all possible help is being provided for the poor, like free ration, free vaccination, he said and added that it is the duty of the government, "but if we have to make India progress, we have to get rid of this revdi culture."
"I appeal to youth, some parties may try to make you fools by distributing freebies, but it's your duty to think about your future and that of your future generations...."
Accusing the Congress of engaging in "revdi culture" in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, Modi said, their poll guarantees have still remained as guarantee. "Congress means guarantee of corruption, guarantee of nepotism."
"Congress has reached a stage where it cannot give true guarantees, you are aware that Congress's warranty has expired, then what is the meaning of its guarantees," he added.
Several BJP leaders took part in the interaction from various parts of the state- CM Basavaraj Bommai and former CM B S Yediyirappa from Hubballi, state President Nalin Kumar Kateel from Mangaluru. While party national General secretary B L Santosh, poll in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister Shobha Karndlaje joined in from Bengaluru.
Alleging that the Congress did not show any interest in eliminating corruption as they were the "biggest source of corruption", Modi said, after 2014 there has been a speed in the fight against corruption.
"The 'trishul' of 'Jan Dhan', 'Aadhaar' and Mobile has made a big attack on corruption. The Direct Benefit Transfer (scheme) has saved Rs 2,75,000 crore that were getting looted by middlemen, it is today helping the poor and the needy," he said.
The Prime Minister said the passion of BJP workers makes it different from other parties. The difference between BJP and other parties is approach. "Other parties' focus is on grabbing power, while BJP's focus is on making India developed in the next 25 years."
"Ask for votes from people for a stable and majority BJP government in Karnataka, make them understand the problems of instability that the state faced in the past," he told the BJP workers.
Highlighting the advantages of having a "double engine government", the PM said, it increases the pace of development; "without a double engine government it will cause a double hit to people".
Whenever BJP gets an opportunity to serve people, the speed and scale of development increases, he said. "In states where there are no BJP governments, efforts are made (by parties in power there) to ensure that central government schemes are not successful there, as they fear it will bring good name to Modi if it is successful. Some don't get associated with programmes at all, while A few change the names of the schemes."
Modi said that the next 25 years, the "Amrit Kaal'' will be a guarantee for "prosperous and developed India," and his government has started working on it.
Karnataka is a major part of this journey towards development and prosperity. "Our government is working with a mantra that India's development- from Karnataka's development...."
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TraceX Guard Strengthens National Safety Against Mobile Cyber Threats
India is witnessing a sharp rise in trojanised Android APK scams, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit fake government, banking, LPG, challan, and welfare scheme apps to seize full remote control of victims’ smartphones.
Cybersecurity investigators warn that attackers are now widely deploying Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware, often powered by leaked builder kits such as CraxsRAT and heavily modified custom payload frameworks. Once installed, these malicious APKs can convert an ordinary Android phone into a fully controlled fraud device, enabling silent surveillance, banking theft, and mass scam propagation.
These malware campaigns are primarily being distributed through WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS phishing links, and fake APK download websites, where users are tricked into installing apps disguised as:
- e-Challan apps
- SBI KYC verification tools
- PM Yojana portals
- mParivahan clones
- LPG booking apps
- fake adult video call apps
As the scale of the threat intensifies, cybersecurity startup TraceX Labs has introduced TraceX Guard, positioning it as a frontline mobile defence platform against APK fraud, RAT infections, QR scams, and malicious permission abuse.
Fear-Based Social Engineering Behind the Surge
According to investigators, these frauds typically begin with panic-driven social engineering messages sent over WhatsApp or Telegram.
Common bait messages include:
- Your traffic challan has been issued
- Your SBI KYC is pending
- PM Yojana verification required
- Your LPG cylinder booking failed
- Your bank account will be blocked
These alerts often include fake challan numbers, vehicle details, Aadhaar-linked references, or forged bank notices, creating a sense of urgency that pushes victims to install the malicious APK without verification.
One of the most dangerous variants currently in circulation is a fake mParivahan-style application, which closely mimics India’s legitimate transport services interface while secretly embedding a hidden RAT payload.
How the Malware Takes Over Smartphones
Once installed, the malicious APK immediately requests dangerous permissions, including:
- Accessibility access
- SMS permissions
- Call logs
- Notifications
- File storage
- Battery optimization exemptions
Security researchers say Accessibility Service abuse remains the most critical attack vector, allowing the malware to silently:
- read screen contents
- detect banking and UPI apps
- auto-click Allow / Confirm / Pay buttons
- capture OTPs
- launch hidden overlays
- navigate banking sessions
- trigger silent fund transfers
Because these actions occur directly on the victim’s trusted device, attackers are often able to bypass traditional fraud detection systems.
Within minutes, victims may lose control over:
- bank balances
- UPI wallets
- Aadhaar and PAN scans
- contact lists
- personal photos and media
- incoming calls
- SMS OTPs
In many cases, the malware also self-propagates by forwarding malicious APK links through the victim’s own WhatsApp groups and Telegram chats, triggering a chain infection effect across trusted social circles.Fake RTO Challan APKs Become the Most Dangerous Variant
Among the most active campaigns, fake RTO challan APK scams have emerged as one of the most financially destructive.
Victims are first lured into paying a ₹1 “verification fee”, after which the malicious app requests highly sensitive information such as:
- card number
- expiry date
- CVV
- UPI PIN
- net banking credentials
- even ATM PINs
Cybersecurity experts stress that no legitimate government payment system ever asks for an ATM PIN inside an app, making this an immediate red flag.
Once payment details are entered, the embedded RAT intercepts OTPs and silently completes unauthorized transactions.
India’s Mobile Fraud Crisis Reaches Critical Levels
Investigators estimate that more than 70% of reported cyber fraud cases in India now originate from mobile devices, with millions of complaints linked to:
- malicious APKs
- phishing URLs
- QR scams
- RAT droppers
- banking session hijacks
- WhatsApp fraud chains
The impact is particularly severe across Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions, where smartphone adoption has expanded faster than awareness around:
- APK sideloading risks
- dangerous permissions
- fake banking overlays
- accessibility abuse
- WhatsApp APK scams
This has effectively turned Android smartphones into the primary battlefield of India’s financial cybercrime ecosystem.
TraceX Guard Introduced as a Real-Time Defence Layer
In response to this rapidly evolving threat landscape, TraceX Labs has launched TraceX Guard, an AI-powered multilingual Android security suite built specifically for India’s APK fraud ecosystem.
The platform offers:
- real-time APK scanning
- malicious permission detection
- hidden app discovery
- RAT behaviour monitoring
- QR & phishing URL safety grading
- OTP and SIM fraud alerts
- Wi-Fi hotspot verification
- ransomware defence
- India-specific scam intelligence feeds
- support for 10+ regional languages
Its offline-first AI architecture allows users to scan threats without uploading personal data, making it especially useful for privacy-conscious users and low-connectivity regions.
TraceX Labs says the system is specifically trained to detect patterns used in:
- fake challan scams
- counterfeit SBI APKs
- PM Yojana malware
- wedding invitation APK attacks
- honey-trap adult apps
- Telegram-based RAT droppers
From Phishing to Malware-Driven Financial Warfare
Cybersecurity analysts say this marks a major shift in India’s digital threat landscape.
What once began as simple phishing links has now evolved into malware-driven financial warfare at scale, where a single infected smartphone can silently compromise:
- families
- WhatsApp groups
- banking accounts
- local communities
- social trust networks
With losses from mobile-first fraud already running into tens of thousands of crores, experts believe the future of cyber defence will increasingly depend on preventive mobile security tools capable of stopping unsafe APKs before installation.
In that battle, TraceX Guard is emerging as one of the most important first lines of defence for India’s digital users.
Download Now : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tracexlabs.guard
