"When Congress Comes To Power...": PM Modi's Dig In Chhattisgarh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress for failing to contain naxalism in Chhattisgarh and said whenever the party comes to power at the Centre, Maoists and terrorists get emboldened.

Addressing a rally in Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh, PM Modi also targeted Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over the alleged Mahadev betting app scam with the slogan "30 take kakka, khule aam satta" (30 per cent commission government, openly operating betting).

CM Baghel is popularly called 'Kaka' (uncle) in the state.

PM Modi said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will bring out the truth of the Mahadev app scam and no matter how big anyone (involved in the alleged scam) is, will be sent to jail.

Voting was held on Tuesday for the first phase of polls in the state in 20 out of the total 90 assembly seats. Surajpur district is in Surguja division (of north Chhattisgarh) which will go to polls in the second phase wherein voting will be held in the remaining 70 seats. BJP candidates for all 14 seats in Surguja division were present at the PM's rally.

PM Modi said for the Congress, adivasis (tribals) have no existence in the country and it left them to their fate.

"Whenever the Congress comes to power in the country, terrorists and Naxalites get emboldened. News of bomb blasts and murders are reported from here and there. Wherever the Congress is in power, the rule of crime and loot prevails there," he said.

The Congress government has failed to contain incidents of Naxal violence (in Chhattisgarh), the PM said.

"In the recent period, our (BJP) party workers were snatched from us. A few days ago, our colleague (party leader) was shot dead...do you want to live under the shadow of bombs and guns? No matter how much money you have, if your son doesn't return home in the evening and his body reaches, then what is the need of that money," he said.

Therefore, security is important for everyone and it is necessary to remove the Congress from every corner and polling booth, he said.

Attacking CM Baghel over the Mahadev betting app case, PM Modi said they committed a scam in the name of 'Mahadev' and now this scam is in discussion in the country as well as abroad.

"They committed a scam in the name of Mahadev. The betting scam in the name of Mahadev is being discussed in the country as well as abroad. Congress has pushed your children into betting to fill its coffers. Will you forgive them? "How the Chief Minister's Office had become a den of 'sattebaj' (those involved in betting). Now everyone says, '30 taka kakka, khule aam satta'. People close to the chief minister are in jail. During the probe, a pile of cash was found. A man comes on TV and says that he has given a bribe of more than Rs 500 crore to the chief minister...What is the need for evidence now? But he (Baghel) is still asking for votes (from people). Does he have any shame or not?" he said.

"I guarantee that BJP will do 'doodh ka doodh pani ka pani' (bring out the truth) in the Mahadev betting scam. No matter how big anyone involved in this is, that person will have to go to jail," he said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) last week claimed that a forensic analysis and a statement made by a 'cash courier' have led to "startling allegations" that Mahadev betting app promoters paid about Rs 508 crore to Chhattisgarh CM Baghel so far. Baghel has denied all the allegations against him.

The PM said the population of adivasis in India is 9 to 10 crore.

"But for decades after independence, adivasis had no existence for the Congress and they were left to their fate. Congress never cared about you and never thought about your children whereas BJP has always given top priority to tribal welfare," he said.

When the Congress government was at the Centre, its thinking was that spending money for adivasis was a waste. But BJP opened the exchequer of the government in the interests of adivasis, he added.

Hitting out at the Baghel dispensation over the law and order situation in the tribal-dominated Surguja region of the state, the PM said, "Human trafficking and drug trade have increased exponentially in Surguja under the Congress government. Criminals are targeting sisters and daughters. Many girls from our tribal families have gone missing. Congress leaders have no answer as to where these daughters have gone...Due to the appeasement policy of Congress, it has become difficult to even celebrate festivals." He said that his government has done what it had promised.

"BJP has fulfilled all its guarantees…BJP had said that a grand Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya. This is Modi. A grand Ram temple is built and houses for four crore poor people are also built," he added.

When PM Modi sought support from the audience who were present there in large numbers, they turned on the flash lights of their mobiles to express support to him.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)