In Rajasthan, PM Modi targets Congress: 'There was a superpower above PM prior to 2014'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed a rally in Rajasthan's Ajmer to mark the completion of nine years of the BJP government at the Centre. During the address, the Prime Minister highlighted the achievements of the central government and slammed the Congress. He said during the Congress rule, the Prime Minister worked under a "superpower" and the government functioned through remote control.

"What was the situation prior to 2014? People were on the streets against corruption and there used to be terrorist attacks in big cities. There was a superpower above the PM, and the government was functioning through remote control," PM Modi said at the rally in Congress-ruled Rajasthan.

Also read: 9 years of PM Modi govt: India transformed in less than a decade, different from 2013, says Morgan Stanley

The Prime Minister also hit out at the Congress and accused it of following a policy of misleading the poor and keeping them deprived during its rule. "Fifty years ago, Congress guaranteed that it will remove poverty. But it turned out to be their biggest betrayal to the poor," he said in Ajmer.

"It has been a policy of the Congress to mislead the poor and keep them deprived. The people of Rajasthan have also suffered a lot due to this," Modi said.

Speaking on the party's achievements, he said the nine years of the BJP government were dedicated to the service of people, good governance, and the welfare of the poor. Before 2014, he said, people were on the streets against corruption and terror attacks rocked major cities while Congress ran the government by remote control.

PM Modi also hit out at the grand old party saying if Congress had been in power, vaccination against Covid would have taken 40 more years to reach the people of India. "During Congress's rule, the vaccination coverage could reach only around 60 per cent (of people). At that time, 40 out of 100 pregnant women and children could not receive life-saving vaccines. Had there been a Congress Govt (now), 100 per cent vaccination coverage in the country would have taken 40 more years," he said.

During its rule, the Congress developed a corrupt system that "sucked the blood of the country" and hindered development, PM Modi said. Now, he added, people across the world are talking about India, and experts are saying India is very close to ending extreme poverty.

Ahead of the rally, PM Modi offered prayers at the famous Brahma temple at Pushkar in the Ajmer district.

Rajasthan will go to polls later this year. The BJP, which ruled the state from 2013 to 2018, is hoping to return to power but the Congress is confident of winning back the state, especially after a thumping victory in Karnataka. In the 2018 assembly elections, Congress won 100 of 200 seats while BJP was reduced to 73.