PM Modi again lashes at Congress, says 'Listening to Hanuman Chalisa crime under Congress'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday again hit out at the Congress party saying that even listening to Hanuman Chalisa has become a crime under the party's regime.

On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, Modi continued his attack on the Congress, saying it was difficult to follow one's faith under the party, and accused it of hatching a deep conspiracy to take away people's wealth and distribute it among "select" people.

"In the rule of Congress, even listening to Hanuman Chalisa becomes a crime. Rajasthan has been its sufferer and for the first time on Ram Navami this time, Shobha Yatra procession was taken out in Rajasthan. In a state like Rajasthan where people chant Ram-Ram, Congress banned Ram Navami," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a poll rally in Rajasthan's Tonk-Sawai Madhopur.

"Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh in his speech had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's resources. This was Manmohan Singh's statement. Congress's thinking has always been of appeasement and vote bank politics. As soon as the Congress government came to power at the Centre in 2004, its first task was to try to provide reservation to Muslims by reducing SC/ST reservations in Andhra Pradesh. This was a pilot project, which Congress wanted to try in the entire country,” Modi said

“Between 2004 and 2010, Congress tried four times to implement Muslim reservations in Andhra Pradesh. However, due to legal hurdles and awareness of the Supreme Court, they could not fulfil his plans. In 2011, Congress tried to implement it across the country,” he added.

Modi said, “Unity is Rajasthan's wealth. Whenever we have been divided the enemy has taken advantage of it. Even now efforts are going on to divide Rajasthan and its people and Rajasthan needs to be cautious of this. In these 10 years, you have seen what a stable and honest government can do for the development of the country.”

"People of Rajasthan know the importance of a safe nation and a strong government. Therefore, you all voted to form a strong BJP government in the years 2014 and 2019. You gave all 25 seats (in Rajasthan) to the BJP," he added.

Praising his own regime and criticizing Congress, Modi referred to Jammu and Kashmir and said stones would still be pelted there, and enemies would still be cutting off the heads of our soldiers had Congress been in power.

"In 2014, when you gave Modi the opportunity to serve in Delhi, the country took decisions that no one had imagined. But if the Congress had been in power, stones would still be pelted at our forces in Jammu and Kashmir,: he said.

"In these 10 years, you have seen what a stable and honest government can do for the development of the country," he added.