Maharashtra Assembly elections: PM Modi blasts Congress on terror in Bombay blitzkrieg

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Mumbai on Friday slammed the previous Congress government for “failing to act on terror” after the 26/11 terror attacks in the city. Modi said such a situation would not arise now as terror handlers are aware of swift retribution they will face after committing such acts.

Modi said the BJP-led government at the Centre and state have brought in a spate of economic reforms “free from stain of corruption” at his last election rally ahead of Maharashtra Assembly elections 2019 on October 21.

Continuing his onslaught on Congress government, PM Modi said Mumbai’s coastline had become an “entry point” for terrorists which led to several attacks and bomb blasts “any time”.

“This is not the case now. Why? Because terror handlers are aware that they will be punished swiftly now,” the prime minister added. Using terror as a poll plank, the PM boasted of Uri surgical strike and airstrikes in Balakot after Pulwama terror attack.

“When evidence with probe agencies after the terror attacks pointed out to masterminds across the border, Congress leaders instead said the attacks were the handiwork of those in India,” he said.

Seeking to reap political dividends over his government’s decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution, Modi said “they” nurtured it for decades. He accused the Congress of exercising politics of self-interest risking the proliferation of terror in Jammu and Kashmir and depriving the people their rights.

PM Modi accused the Congress of “defending” terrorists when it comes to giving justice to terror victims.

“The people who killed our people escaped. And the reason is now becoming evident. These people, instead of catching the culprits, are into trade of Mirchi. Sometimes trade of Mirchi, sometimes trade with Mirchi,” Modi said, without elaborating and naming anyone.

“Doshiyon ko pakadne ke bajai unke saath kabhi mirchi ka vypaar kabhi mirchi ke saath vyapar,” Modi said in an apparent reference to Enforcement Directorate summoning Praful Patel in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to assets of Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Iqbal Mirchi.

PM also took on Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance accusing it of doing “maximum harm” to the state and the economy.
In an apparent reference to P Chidambaram, Modi said those who harmed the banking system are now in jail.

The rally was also attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP-ally Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray who spoke of a “bhagwa (saffron) Diwali in Ayodhya next month.

“This Diwali will be a ‘Bhagwa Diwali’ and next month, there will be another Diwali which will be celebrated especially in Ayodhya and other places as well, that will be ‘Ram Mandir Diwali’,” Thackeray said.

Polling in Maharashtra will be conducted on October 21 and counting of votes will be conducted on October 24.