Modi halted Rae Bareli, Amethi's development: Congress

Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "Mr. Mislead", the Congress on Sunday accused him of halting development in the Nehru-Gandhi family's bastions -- Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, by stalling or shelving several mega projects.

Prime Minister Modi unveiled several projects on his first trip to Rae Bareli -- the traditional seat of the Gandhi family -- and launched a scathing attack on Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi on Sunday.

Retaliating against Modi's attacks, Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Pramod Tiwari accused the Prime Minister of misleading the nation by taking credit for projects sanctioned and implemented during the Congress-led UPA era.

"The way the Prime Minister misleads the nations, misleads farmers and youth and even the Supreme Court, he should be called "Mr. Mislead". All the projects which he has been taking credit for are UPA era projects. We want to ask him, will he ever unveil a project by the BJP government," Tiwari told the media here.

Countering Modi's allegations that the Gandhis neglected the development of Rae Bareli, which twice elected late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for four straight terms since 1999, Tiwari held the Prime Minister responsible for stalling the development of Rae Bareli and Rahul Gandhi's traditional seat Amethi.

"Because of Modi's more than apparent hatred for the Gandhi family, the people of Amethi and Rae Bareli have suffered. Besides shelving the proposed National Centre for Vehicle Research and Safety, the Modi government cancelled the Shaktiman Mega Food Park and shifted out the Hindustan Paper Mill project from Amethi.

"Similarly, in Rae Bareli, Sonia Gandhi's dream project of Ring Road and aim to build the country's first Central university for women have also been stalled by Modi," alleged Tiwari.

The Congress leader also flayed Modi for lowering the dignity of the post of Prime Minister by making personal attacks on the Gandhi family.

"On this day, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi a new country was born (Bangladesh) and instead of recognizing that feat, Modi preferred to attack her and her family.

"These personal attacks reflect Modi's lack of dignity for the Chair of Prime Minister and any condemnation of his remarks is not enough," added Tiwari.

--IANS

and/mag/bg