Rahul compares Modi to Hitler, says he stole Guj farmers' land Can A Thief Be A Chowkidar, Asks Cong VP

Balasinor (Gujarat): In what could turn out to be the “maut ka saudagar” moment of this Lok Sabha elections, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday compared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to Hitler, and accused him of stealing land belonging to farmers, calling him a thief. 

    Addressing a large crowd in Balasinor in Gujarat’s Panchmahal Lok Sabha constituency, Rahul hit out without taking Modi’s name but his target was unmistakable: “Congressmen follow Mahatma Gandhi and meet people 
and visit their homes. Other leaders are like Hitler. Hitler believed there was no need to learn from the people. Whatever will happen in Germany will be done by Hitler.” 
    Ridiculing Modi for his request to the people to make him the “chowkidar” of the country, Rahul said, “This man says make me the chowkidar and corruption will go. How can he be the chowkidar of India when in Gujarat he has stolen farmers’ land and gifted it to select industrialists?” Rahul added, “Chor ko chowkidar kaise bana dein?” 
    Responding to Rahul’s reference to Hitler, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told TV channels, “These are dialogues of the 1970s. They have no relevance in 2014.” 
    During his 25-minute address, Rahul raked up the issue of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa being brought back into the BJP and mocked the party’s claim of battling corruption. 
    “If they were serious then why did they allow three convicted ministers to serve in Gujarat? There was no Lokayukta in Gujarat until the Supreme Court intervened,” Rahul said. 
    The last time a Nehru-Gandhi family member had addressed a gathering in Balasinor was Indira Gandhi in 1972. 
    Rahul also derided the BJP’s schemes of raising money from people who attended Modi’s rallies. 
Cong leaders shy away from poll race I n a development that betrays nervousness in the Congress ranks about the party’s prospects, shipping minister G K Vasan has pulled out of the Lok Sabha poll fray, citing his responsibilities as a campaigner in Tamil Nadu. I&B minister Manish Tewari too is reportedly not keen to take the field from his constituency Ludhiana, where the scene has become complicated with the entry of noted activist H S Phoolka on a AAP ticket. P 19 Record 75L voters enrol at spl camp The Election Commission’s special camp on March 9 drew some 75 lakh people to enroll as voters across the country. EC sources said this was the highest number of applications they had received in a single day. UP led the count, with 15.4 lakh enrolment requests, followed by Andhra with 11 lakh and Maharashtra with 6.88 lakh. Delhi had 1.5 lakh requests, beating states like Jharkhand and Haryana. P 7 & 13 ‘Money collected from Guj being used for one person’s marketing’ 
    We don’t take money from youtoshow you our advertisements. Money collected from Gujarat is being used for one person’s marketing across India. We use your money for your welfare,”Rahulsaid. 
    On Modi’s efforts to usurp Sardar Patel’s legacy, Rahul advised him to spend time reading about Sardar. “Building a statue of Sardar is fine but you need to know a little more about him before building it. Sardar Patel had said RSS philosophy was toxic for the country,” he said. Rahul claimed the BJP had originally even opposed naming the Ahmedabad airport after the freedom-fighter. 
    Rahul said as a seven-yearold,hedrankAmul milk in Delhi. “Now, it’s being projected as if it is alsosomeone’s personal achievement. The BJP would even take credit for RTI, MNREGA, andtheRighttoFood Act, if they were given the chance in thefuture,”hesaid. 
    “This person talks of eliminating the Congress but no one can wipe out the organization nurturedby Gandhiji and Sardar Patel. He talks of Gujarat model in thecountry buthere BPL criteria is only Rs 11 per day. In malnutrition, Gujarat model is shining,” Rahul said, adding, “despitecourtorders RTI commissioners have not been appointed and Lokayukta could be appointed only after a gap of 10 years and court’s interference.” 
    Seeking to draw a parallel between the BJP's India Shining Campaign in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and its focus on Gujarat’s development under Modi, Rahul said it is being publicized in the whole country that Gujarat shines but its glitter is limited to “10-15 industrialists” andthe poor have notbenefitedfrom it.

IN, OUT & ON THE FENCE

Actor-activist GUL PANAG likely to contest from Chandigarh on AAP ticket. Her dad, Lt Gen H S Panag is already an AAP member. Gul, a postgraduate from Punjab Univ, also runs an NGO

MODI-KEJRIWAL faceoff likely if the Gujarat CM contests outside the state. If Modi sticks to home turf, AAP chief likely to sit out polls, prepare for Delhi assembly re-election

Comedian RAJU SRIVASTAVA 
returned his SP ticket from Kanpur, alleging lack of support from the local unit, which has since been dissolved

Rahul said the BJP had initially opposed naming the Ahmedabad airport after freedom-fighter Sardar Patel

THE POWER OF ONE

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