Mumbai, Dec 22 (IANS): In a clear attack on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Sunday said the Congress was steeped in corruption.
"Yesterday I was struck listening to a senior Congress leader ranting against corruption," Modi told a huge rally organised here by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"Look at their guts. They are steeped in corruption and they have the gall to speak against corruption," Modi said in a ridiculing tone.
On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi said in New Delhi that corruption cannot be tolerated.
Modi said Congress leaders did speak about corruption and black money. "(But) is it not their responsibility to control all this?" he asked loudly, the crowds roaring in approval.
Modi accused the corrupt in the India of stashing away their wealth in foreign banks.
"Our problems don't lie with population, geography, history or nature but are rooted in the successive Congress governments.
"If we want freedom from all the problems plaguing the nation, the country must be freed from Congress clutches," Modi said to wild cheering.
Modi said both Maharashtra and Gujarat took birth May 1, 1960. But since then while Gujarat had seen 14 chief ministers, Maharashtra had had 26 chief ministers.
"What kind of governance is here (Maharashtra)? One CM comes, another tries to chase him out," Modi said, adding that the Congress used divide-and-rule policy to remain in power.
Referring to neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, he said it was earlier known as "a sick state".
But after the BJP took charge of the state with Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the helm, there had been all-round progress.