PM Modi said Morarji Desai, a Gujarati from Surat, was unceremoniously sacked
Sharpening his attack on the Congress in his home state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the erstwhile Indira Gandhi government played the "drama" of nationalising banks to "cover up" the "unceremonious" sacking of then Finance Minister Morarji Desai, a Gujarati.
Addressing a rally in Kadodara area of the city ahead of the first phase polling on December 9, PM Modi also accused the Congress of creating a "rift" in the society through its "caste-based" politics and said Gujarat is still paying the price of their "sins" committed 25 years ago.
Invoking Gujarati pride, PM Modi said, "Morarji Desai, a Gujarati from Surat, was unceremoniously sacked as Finance Minister by Indira Gandhi overnight. After being sacked, Mr Desai had said that he was discarded like a vegetable."
He said nationalisation of banks was a "drama" played by the erstwhile Congress government to "cover up" the sacking of Mr Desai.
"Immediately after sacking him ( Mr Desai), banks were nationalised overnight as part of the government's face-saving exercise (though) it was claimed that banks were nationalised to serve the poor," he said.
PM Modi said despite "sacrificing" Mr Desai, the doors of banks did not open for the poor.
The prime minister said it was his government which actually opened the doors of the banks for the poor.
"When we came to power (in 2014), those doors that were closed for almost 30 crore poor, we then opened those doors by introducing the PM Jan Dhan Yojna," he added.
In a veiled dig at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi said the BJP during its rule in Gujarat has "forced" people to visit temples.
"They (Congress leaders) ask me what BJP did in this 22 years (rule in Gujarat). (Among others things) We have compelled many people to visit temples," PM Modi said evoking a loud cheer from the crowd.
Mr Gandhi, who visited a string of temples during his party's ongoing campaign in Gujarat, has been accused by the BJP of playing the "soft Hindutva card".