Congress is all about one family, says Modi (Lead, Changing dateline)

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its leadership Tuesday, saying it only cared about a family.

Accusing the Congress of dividing the people, Modi told an election rally here: "Divide and rule is in their DNA."

Modi spoke at Sawai Madhopur after addressing a rally at Alwar, canvassing votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the assembly elections in Rajasthan Dec 1.

The Gujarat chief minister said the Congress attempts to divide the society in order to seek votes. In the process, he alleged, development takes a backseat.

The Congress, Modi thundered, had to go.

Taking a dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Modi said: "Shezada says the BJP is 'chor' (thief)... Is it a democratic language? Do you speak this language?

"Lata Mangeshkar said 'I want Modi to become prime minister and soon'. There was strong opposition to that from Congress leaders, they started to shout from all directions and even asked the government to take her Bharat Ratna back. Do you speak this kind of language?"

Modi said the BJP was rooted for development.

"Look at Madhya Pradesh. Under Shivraj Singh Chauhan's leadership, MP is not a BIMARU state now...

"Do you want to bring Rajasthan out of the BIMARU category? In that case, vote for BJP."

Rebutting Rahul Gandhi's charges, Modi said it was the Congress which made fun of the poor.

"They say Rs.26 a day is enough," he said rhetorically, referring to the Planning Commission's definition of poverty. "You can't even get 300 gm of onions for 26 rupees."

Modi also pulled up the Congress-led UPA government for failing to curb terrorism.

"Our soldiers' heads were beheaded and some of them were killed in their bunkers," he said, referring to the killings of Indian soldiers along the Jammu and Kashmir border by Pakistani troops.

"But we offered chicken biryani to the Pakistani president in Rajasthan in the name of protocol."

Earlier, speaking in Alwar, Modi said that India needed a law to bring back black money stashed abroad.

Saying the corrupt were depositing their ill-gotten wealth in foreign banks, Modi told an election rally that India must get to know details of bank accounts held abroad by Indians.

Questions should be asked from all Indians who hold foreign bank accounts as to where they got their money and how, he said.

Modi's ire was mainly directed at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Modi accused the Rajasthan government of sleeping "for almost 55 months" and waking up just before the elections.

"The state needs a government that works for all the 60 months."

He said the Congress government in the state was to blame for the large number of atrocities on tribals and women.

A large number of people in Rajasthan were without potable water, and the condition of roads were among the worst in the country, he said.

"Over 40 communal riots have taken place in the state and some ministers of your government are behind bars on different allegations," he said.

Modi wondered why Gehlot kept comparing Rajasthan with Gujarat.

"We (Gujarat) have been praised by all and we do not need a certificate from Rajasthan's chief minister," he said. "God save the country from Ashok Gehlot's ways of governance."