Mumbai, Dec 22 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Sunday accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of protecting the corrupt in his government.

Addressing a huge rally here, the BJP leader also held the Congress-led UPA government responsible for rising food prices.

"There is anger against the Congress" in the country for many reasons but mainly due to inflation and corruption, Rajnath Singh thundered.

"In 2009, when it took power, the Congress promised to control inflation within 100 days.

"Thousands of days have passed and nothing has happened.

"The common people are suffering because of runaway high food prices... On the contrary, the NDA government of (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee controlled prices for (the) six years (it was in power)," Rajnath Singh said.

The BJP president said Manmohan Singh was shielding the corrupt.

"During the NDA rule there were no allegations against anybody in the government. The Congress government in Maharashtra has taken corruption to new levels...

"It created a scam in Adarsh Society which was meant for housing Kargil widows and war heroes. The government has rejected the probe into the scam in public interest.

"What is the public interest in corruption?" Singh asked.

Sunday's meeting drew party supporters in thousands not only from various parts of Maharashtra but Gujarat and other parts of the country as well.