Rajasthan assembly elections 2018: Big Guns Firing On All Cylinders

BHILWARA: Addressing election rallies in poll-bound Rajasthan on the 10th anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress for teaching "patriotism" to opposition parties in 2008 and now demanding the proof for 2016 surgical strikes.

Addressing his first election meeting of the day in Bhilwara on Monday, Modi said the nation will never forget 26/11 Mumbai and the perpetrators and was "waiting for the appropriate time" as law would take its course. He invoked 26/11 at his public rallies at Banswara and Kota.

"Today is November 26. There was a 'madam' rule in Delhi through remote control, there was Congress government in Maharashtra. Terrorists killed people and security forces of our country. It is 10 years. I can still remember when the terror attacks happened in Mumbai, election campaign was going on in Rajasthan," said Modi while speaking at Bhilwara. He accused the Congress of attempting to use the 26/11 Mumbai attack to win the elections in Rajasthan.

Issuing a veiled warning to India's detractors, he said, "India will never forget 26/11 attack nor forget the perpetrators. We are waiting for the appropriate time. Law will take its course. I want to assure the country."

The Prime Minister alleged that Congress leaders had then accused the leaders of other parties of doing politics when they condemned the attacks. "What they (Congress leaders) said then, I still remember. They said it was a war, Pakistan had attacked India. And the opposition was doing politics. They would say it was time to strengthen the hands of the Centre and there must be no politics on terror attacks. They used to preach," he said.

"When our country's forces did surgical strike in Pakistan, when they took revenge, showed their valour and gave a befitting reply to the enemies in their home, in such a crucial time, Congress asked for evidence and demanded the video of the surgical strike," he said. "Will the armed forces take cameras in their hand during such operations?" he mocked.

Modi also said that during his four years of rule, terror attacks have been restricted to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister said terrorism and Maoism were the biggest enemies of development.

"In Chhattisgarh, Maoists killed the brave, including one from Bharatpur. Congress leaders distributed certificates of revolutionaries to the Maoists. These 'naamdar' and 'kaamdar' are describing them as revolutionary," he said. "We have given a befitting reply to Maoists and terrorism. There is no place for violence in democracy," he said.

He continued criticising the Congress for being casteist and deliberately talking about his father as the opposition had no real issue to talk about.