India prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (5) attacked Rahul Gandhi over his alleged association with UK-based firm Backops, saying its name was akin to the Congress leader’s actions of indulging in “back office operations” and not from the front.
Referring to the 10-year UPA rule under then prime minister Manmohan Singh, Modi also alleged that India lost an entire decade of the 21st century after the Congress installed “family loyalist” Singh as the prime minister in 2004 because the “prince” was not ready and all efforts to “train” him went waste at that time.
Attacking Gandhi in an election rally in Sagar, Modi said all his scams are now being “unearthed from land, air and water” as it has now come out to be known that the Congress leader’s business partner in the UK company got a submarine contract despite an experience in liasoning only.
The union home ministry recently served a notice to Gandhi, saying it received a representation from BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in which it was brought out that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003 with the Congress leader as one of its directors.
The home ministry said Swamy’s letter also mentioned that in the British company’s annual returns filed on October 10, 2005, and October 31, 2006, Gandhi’s date of birth has been provided as June 19, 1970, and his nationality as British.
Targeting Gandhi over his alleged association with the UK-based firm, Modi said: “The ‘naamdar’ (Rahul Gandhi) made a company in England, the name of which was akin to his actions. The name of the company was Backops… Means back office operations. He never worked for the company from front and did operations from behind the curtains”.
“This behind-the-curtain firm closed in 2009. But now it has come out that the naamdar’s partner in the company got a submarine contract in 2011. The firm owner was his friend.
Now people are asking the Congress naamdar that your partner only had liasoning experience, how he got a chance to enter the submarine line?” Modi questioned.
Modi said since the matter has come to light, the “naamdar and his raagdarbaris” (sycophants) have gone silent.
“The Bofors gun, helicopter (AgustaWestland chopper) and now submarine, as deep as you dig… Whether ‘jal’ (water), ‘nabh’ (air) and ‘thal’ (land), naamdar’s acts are coming out.
Michel Mama (Christian Michel, the alleged middleman arrested in the AgustaWestland chopper scam), is already blurting out secrets,” he said.
Modi charged that the Congress means “falsehood, propaganda and cheating”.
Referring to Gandhi’s corruption allegations against him, Modi said, “The truth has come out. ‘Naamdar’ has accepted that false charges were levelled against me. His only aim was to malign the image of Modi. He (Gandhi) himself said in an interview yesterday.”
“That is why I am saying I am not alone, God is with me… The one who was made by Maa Bharti with pieces… The more you throw mud at me, the more lotus will bloom,” he said.
Further targeting the opposition party, Modi said during the “weak” Congress government’s tenure, terrorists attacked the country and went back. The then government went all over the world crying and blaming Pakistan for it.
But now, the BJP-led strong government is fully alert. Terror bosses now clearly know that this is new India which hits them back by entering into their den, he said. “Your each vote in favour of Modi will inspire him to fight against terrorism with vigour,” he told the gathering.
Modi alleged that due to Congress’s “criminal apathy”, the country was deprived of basic amenities like pucca houses, electricity, toilets and bank accounts during the first 25 years of Independence.
He said by 2022, before 75 years of Independence, his government has set a target of completing all these works for the people.
“Had the Congress remained in power, I am confident that basic amenities would have alluded the country for another 100 years,” he said.
Modi further accused the Congress of “wasting” a generation of the 21st century with its corruption, spurt in terrorism and violence.
“There was an acting prime minister and the remote was with someone else. The acting PM was more concerned about saving his chair than the country,” he said, taking a veiled dig at former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Inflation was at its peak during the previous government but now has been contained, he added.
The prime minister accused the Congress of working for the progress of a “dynasty” and neglecting generations of Indians.
He claimed the Congress did not expect to form the government in 2004.
“The chance was unexpected. Since the ‘prince’ wasn’t ready, it was decided to instal a family loyalist, a watchman, in the prime minister’s chair. The party and the family had no trust in the prince. Lot of efforts were made to train him but it was a waste. Due to this the country lost a decade of the 21st century,” he charged.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK StalinGetty images
