Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the previous Congress-led government as he campaigned in Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Modi is on his third and last round of election tour of the state.
Here are the key quotes from his rallies today:
* "I do not fear effigies being burnt; my fight against corruption will not stop. Those who faced the heat of demonetisation are planning to observe November 8 as black money day," he said at the Palampur poll rally.
* "Congress, corruption are inseparable, they are like tree and its roots. Their leaders are out on bail and they are speaking about putting a check on corruption."
* At the Kullu rally, Mr. Modi said: "People want not just change, but punishment for those who looted Himachal Pradesh... A storm is raging here against the corrupt Congress. Congress-led government misused subsidy of ₹57,000 crore meant for the poor."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with party senior leader & MP Shanta Kumar during an election rally at Palampur on Sunday. | Photo Credit: PTI
* "Himachal Pradesh needs to be freed of 5 Mafias — Mining Mafia, Forest Mafia, Drug Mafia, Tender Mafia and Transfer Mafia."
* "Former PM Indira Gandhi refused to carry out note ban. Had she done note ban when needed, I would not have had to carry out this big task. ₹4,000 crore fraud found in probe into 5,000 companies out of 3 lakh that have shut down after demonetisation."
* "Seeding Aadhaar cards with bank accounts eliminated middlemen, subsidies now reach the beneficiaries directly."
* Taking potshots at former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statement that ₹1 ends up as 15 paise when it reaches villages, Mr. Modi said: “Rajiv was such a doctor who diagnosed the problem of corruption but did not do anything about it."
* "Congress did not implement the benami assets law as they were well aware it would reveal all their wrong doings."
* "GST has immensely benefited the transport sector. Truck movement between the states has gained pace.
* Donning a Pahari topi, he said: “In the last 20 years, there has not been a single election where I have not been involved. But this is an unprecedented election. I know where the wind is blowing. These elections have become one-sided in Himachal Pradesh. Congress has run away from the battlefield. What was the reason that infrastructure development was so slow during the Congress? After we came to power, things changed in 3 years."