Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that a government seeped in corruption and ridden with serious crimes such as beheadings and paper leaks cannot be allowed to continue in power and must be uprooted from power. Addressing a rally in Jaipur district in poll-bound Rajasthan, the Prime Minister made a strong case against the ruling Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and said that the state had wasted five precious years under the incumbent rule.

“Who will invest in a state where there is rampant corruption and where incidents of beheading takes place openly,” PM Modi said, adding that the Congress government was sympathetic towards terrorists instead of acting tough against them.

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“The lotus will bloom again in Rajasthan,” PM Modi said, as he highlighted the alleged “misdeeds” of the Gehlot government cited in a red diary by MLA Rajendra Singh Gudha in July that led to dramatic scenes in the state Assembly.

“All the black deeds are in the red diary and everyone’s involved in corruption and cuts. Why would anyone invest in such a state? Someone was beheaded, and the government didn’t do anything. Why would anyone invest if such an atmosphere exists in the state? The Congress is giving criminals a free hand… A government that can’t protect the dignity of women must be removed,” PM Modi said.

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Raising the issue of women’s reservation which was passed in Parliament recently, the Prime Minister said that the Congress party and its INDIA bloc partners never wanted the passage of women’s reservation bill and continue to “misguide” the people on the matter.

“Congress never had the intention to empower women. The Congress leaders who are talking about women’s reservation today could have done it 30 years ago. Congress never wanted to give 33 per cent reservation to women. Today, if they are in favour of women’s reservation, then it’s not due to their interest in it but under pressure from you (women) all. Congress and its ‘Ghamandiya’ partners are against reservation for women,” he said and warned voters to stay clear of the distractions being caused by the Opposition.

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PM Modi also lashed out at the Opposition over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma and said that the “ghamadiya (arrogant” alliance was determined to wipe off our roots. “They must know that the people of Rajasthan will uproot those who attack our roots.”

The Prime Minister’s visit to Jaipur comes ahead of the Rajasthan elections scheduled to be held in November-December this year. The state, currently ruled by Congress, has never re-elected an incumbent government to power since 1993. The BJP and the Congress are in a direct contest in the state.