BJP's PM candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi addresses Vijay Sankalp rally in Panaji, Goa
With the 2014 general elections barely months away, Narendra Modi today tore into the ruling UPA government over issues of corruption and price rise and called Dr Manmohan Singh's 10 years as Prime Minister the worst period in the country's history.
"Congress has wasted the 50 years after independence. Rajiv Gandhi always spoke of making India ready for the 21st century but look what has happened. India has never seen days worse than those in the past 10 years," Mr Modi said while addressing a 'Vijay Sankalp' or resolve to win rally in Panaji. (
Highlights of Mr Modi's speech)
Saying that the Congress and the government at the Centre have become a liability, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate appealed to the people to this time vote for India.
"The Congress has taken India 50 years behind. And the people or parties who support the government are equally responsible... We used to vote for a person or party. In 2014, vote for India," Mr Modi said.
During his 45-minute-long speech, Mr Modi also launched a scathing attack on Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and accused him of playing vote bank politics. In a letter that has generated a lot of controversy, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Friday asked all state chief ministers to be "careful" while arresting minorities. (
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"On the basis of religion, injustice should not be done to anybody. If one is innocent he or she must be free but this must be uniformly applied," Mr Modi said.
He also made a veiled reference to Jayanthi Natarajan's removal from the Environment Ministry, saying he had heard for the first time of a "Jayanthi tax", apparently referring to swirling allegations during her tenure.
The rally, which was attended by nearly two lakh people, was the state's biggest, claimed the BJP. Mr Modi had started his speech in Konkani, which drew loud cheers from the crowd.
It was in Goa that Mr Modi was chosen the BJP's prime ministerial candidate during a party convention last year.