Congress most corrupt, run by 'tukde tukde' gang, urban Naxals: PM Modi during Maharashtra visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pic/PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lashed out at the Congress, saying the "most corrupt" party was being run by the tukde tukde gang and urban Naxals, reported news agency PTI.

"The Congress which you see today is not the party with which a great man like Mahatma Gandhi was associated," PM Modi said, addressing a public meeting at Wardha in Maharashtra on completion of one year of the PM Vishwakarma scheme, reported PTI.

"The ghost of hatred has entered the Congress," PM Modi said. "In today's Congress the soul of patriotism has breathed its last," he added, reported PTI.

During Maharashtra visit, PM Modi also spoke of the "anti-India agendas" of the Congress leaders in their speeches abroad, without naming that party's leader Rahul Gandhi, who is facing flak from the ruling dispensation for his remark in the US on scrapping the reservation system.

"If there is a corrupt party it is the Congress and the most corrupt family is its shahi parivar," PM Modi said, without naming the Gandhi family, reported PTI.

"Congress hates Ganpati puja as well," PM Modi said. "I went to a Ganesh puja programme and Congress criticised it for appeasement politics. Ganpati Bappa was put behind bars in Karnataka. Ganpati idol was put in a police van," he said, reported PTI.

"Congress allies in Maharashtra kept mum and did not take a stand on Ganpati Bappa's insult," PM Modi said during Maharashtra visit.

In an apparent reference to the ensuing state assembly elections in Maharashtra later this year, PM Modi said, "In Maharashtra, we have to be aware of their duplicity."

"Falsehood and betrayal are the hallmark of the Congress and people of Maharashtra should beware of the party," he said, reported PTI.

The Congress used farmers only for politics and corruption, PM Modi said.

"We should not give another chance to Congress, which destroyed farmers. Falsehood and betrayal is the hallmark of Congress," PM Modi said. The Congress did not fulfil its election promises in Telangana, he added, reported PTI.

PM Modi said the SC, ST and OBC categories are the biggest beneficiaries of the PM Vishwakarma scheme, and accused the previous Congress governments of neglecting the Vishwakarma community.

"Congress did not allow SCs, STs and OBCs to prosper. We have put an end to the mindset of the Congress which didn't allow these communities to prosper. Our vision is to ensure that the beneficiaries don't remain just artisans but also become entrepreneurs," he said, reported PTI.

He said his government wants to take the textile industry to the global market and restore the glory of the textile sector.

PM Modi said the British rulers had conspired to finish off India's traditional skills.

Mahatma Gandhi gave a boost to rural traditional skills but governments after Independence did not give justice to the Vishwakarma community, leading to deterioration in the sector, PM Modi said during Maharashtra visit.

"Through Vishwakarma scheme, we have pledged prosperity through labour and a better tomorrow through skill," PM Modi said during Maharashtra visit, reported PTI.

In the last one year, more than 20 lakh people from 18 professions were linked to the Vishwakarma scheme, and more than 8 lakh craftsmen and artisans got skill training, he said.

Vishwakarma Yojana not just a government programme but a roadmap to utilize thousands of years old skills to develop India, he said.

PM Modi also visited the exhibition at the National PM Vishwakarma programme and met some of the scheme's beneficiaries.

He also launched the "Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Centre" scheme of Maharashtra Government, and the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme of Maharashtra Govt for support to women-led startups, reported PTI.

He laid the foundation stone of a 1,000-acre PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park at Amravati in Maharashtra.

He also released a commemorative postage stamp to mark one year of the Vishwakarma scheme.

(With inputs from PTI)