New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Rajasthan government, invoking sacked minister Rajendra Gudha’s “red diary” and said the “dark deeds” recorded in it will lead to the defeat of the Congress in the Assembly elections.
“Mahatma Gandhi gave the slogan British Quit India and the British had to leave. Today’s slogan is Corruption Quit India, Nepotism Quit India and Appeasement Quit India,” Modi said at a rally in Sikar. “The ‘red diary’ is a fresh product of the ‘loot ki dukan’ of the Congress,” Modi said.
It was the seventh visit of the prime minister to poll-bound Rajasthan in the last six months.
Modi slams Congress in Gujarat
Modi accused the Congress government in Rajasthan of looting people and also targeted it over various recruitment paper leaks in the state.“In the name of running the government in Rajasthan, the Congress has set up a ‘loot ki dukan’ in a ‘'jhooth ka bazar’ (market of lies). The latest product of this ‘loot ki dukan’ is Rajasthan's red diary,” Modi said.
The red diary was recently produced in the Assembly by Gudha, who claimed it contained the details of the alleged irregular financial transactions of Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister.
Ashok Gehlot hits back
Gehlot hit back saying the real loot is done by the prime minister by selling a ‘red cylinder’ (LPG cylinder) for ₹1,150. The red diary was imaginary and does not exist yet the issue is being politicised.
The people of Rajasthan will show a ‘red flag’ to the BJP, Gehlot said.
Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament have been adjourned till 11 am on July 28, following stormy scenes and sloganeering by Opposition party members who demanded a discussion on the Manipur situation in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jan Vishwas Bill
Amid chaos and confrontational scenes between the treasury and opposition benches, the Lok Sabha passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023, through voice vote. The bill proposes to decriminalise various offences in 42 laws, including minor ones that invite jail term. It was passed within half an hour after a short discussion, which saw participation of only three MPs, one each from BJP, BSP and YSR Congress, amid vociferous protests by the Congress-led opposition.
The House also gave its nod to a bill to repeal 76 redundant and obsolete laws, with the government saying the move is part of its continuing efforts to improve the ease of living and doing business.
The Rajya Sabha passed the stringent Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, which aims to curb piracy and has provisions for up to three-year jail term and a fine of up to 5 per cent of the production cost of a film for persons making pirated copies of movies. The bill seeks to introduce new sections in the Cinematograph Act with provisions to prohibit unauthorised recording of films (section 6AA) and their exhibition (section 6AB).
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