Modi targets Congress on 'vote bank politics', brings up Kanhaiya Lal murder

Jaipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of playing vote bank politics in Rajasthan, claiming that the party was worried about this even when tailor Kanhaiya Lal was killed in Udaipur last year.

He brought up the episode while addressing a public meeting in Chittorgarh. The Udaipur tailor was murdered on June 28 last year by two cleaver-wielding men who accused him of insulting Islam.

"Tell me, had you ever imagined what happened in Udaipur? Such a big sin was committed in the land of Rajasthan, which has followed the tradition of not attacking the enemy by deceit. People come on the pretext of getting clothes stitched and cut the tailor's throat without any fear. And proudly make a video and make it viral," Modi said.

"The Congress government was worried about the vote bank in this too. What image of the brave land of Rajasthan has Congress presented to the world? It is not possible to celebrate any Teej or other festival peacefully in Rajasthan. No one knows when riots will break out or when curfew will be imposed," he alleged.

Modi also raised questions over the law-and-order situation in the state, saying there has been a rise in crime against women, Dalits and backward classes.

"The Congress has created such an environment in Rajasthan that common people are worried about their lives, businessmen are worried about their businesses and workers are worried about work. This anti-development environment must change," he said.

"I want to ask with great pain, great sorrow and great distress, did you vote for Congress for this five years ago," the prime minister asked. "It is very important to remove the Congress government as it cannot protect people's life and property," he added.

Modi said it pained him to hear about the incidents of crime that take place in the state.

"I feel pained when I see and hear about injustice being done to daughters anywhere in the country. But in Rajasthan, the Congress government has created a tradition of injustice to daughters.

"Here in Barmer, a Dalit woman was raped and acid poured on her. In Suratgarh, a woman was murdered and her body thrown on the road. After gang rape in Bhilwara, a girl was burnt in a furnace. And in Jamwa Ramgarh, a woman was burnt alive," the prime minister said.

"Be it a rioter or a criminal, only the BJP government can correct them, this is our track record… That is why today mothers, sisters and daughters of Rajasthan are saying that they are confident that the BJP will come and bring women security," Modi added.