Exploiting the differences between the Congress and the Government, the Bharatiya Janata Party has lashed out at the “family rule” in the Grand Old Party . Addressing a huge rally here on Sunday, the party’s prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the biggest question before the country was whether to allow family rule to continue or adopt real democracy.

Apparently referring to the Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s outbursts against the Centre, Modi said the country should not be allowed to function as per the whims and fancies of one person.

“Today, there is a conflict between Parivarshahi (family rule) and Lokshahi (rule by the people) and the former is strangling the latter. Will we run as per the constitution or on the wishes of the prince? This is what we have to decide,” Modi said in his first rally after being nominated as his party’s prime ministerial candidate. Thousands thronged to the Japanese Park in Rohini (a Delhi suburb) to hear his speech. Modi said the country does not want the ‘dirty team’ of the United Progressive Alliance but wants a ‘dream team’ which can work for the nation. He said the Congress Governments are working for vested interests. “Just see how many Governments are there, there is a Government of the mother, there is a Government of the son and there is a Government of the son-in-law too. There is an alliance and even there we have Governments within Governments,” he said.

Rise to The top

Citing his own example, the Gujarat Chief Minister said the BJP had always supported people from the lower rungs to reach powerful posts. He said the culture of the party was such that a man who sold tea to make ends meet (his own life story) has been named the prime ministerial candidate. “I was never a ruler in the past, I am not a ruler now and I do not aspire to be a ruler in the future. I am a humble servant of the people and will remain so in future. I am not a divine ruler but a humble servant,” Modi said.

He did not even spare Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The pride of the Prime Minister has been brought down by his own party. The Congress Party Vice-President (Rahul Gandhi) has committed the sin of disrespecting the Prime Minister,” Modi said.

Congress slams show

Referring to a reported comment by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawas Sharif that Singh has behaved like a ‘village woman’ (during his ongoing visit to the US) , Modi said such an insulting statement will not be tolerated by the country. “We have differences of opinion with our PM at home, but he is the PM of 125 crore Indians. How do you have the courage to say that Mr Nawaz Sharif?” he asked.

The Congress demanded that Modi apologise to the country for using Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir’s reports about Nawaz Sharif’s alleged statement about the Prime Minister. “Today, we ask Narendra Modi, who makes tall claims about being a nationalist, for turning anti-national by believing (the report of ) a Pakistani journalist and showing the Prime Minister in poor light,” Congress general secretary in-charge of the media cell, Ajay Maken said. “It is a matter of great sadness that when the Prime Minister of the country is abroad, at that time, Modi shows the Prime Minister in extremely poor light,” he added.

Pointing to the grand rally, Maken asked the BJP to reveal the source of its income. “The kind of money which was spent on today’s rally — with giant TV screens and entry by helicopter — Mr Modi, we want to know where the money is coming from. Are people from outside funding you? This is not the Rs 5 ticket money. We want to know what the source of this money is,” he said.

jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in

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