Bangalore : Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday sharpened his attack against the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for paying lip service on fighting corruption and empowering women.

Addressing a rally at National College grounds in Basavanagudi here, the Congress leader questioned Modi for sharing the dais with graft-accused former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and ordering illegal “snooping” on a young woman in his state Gujarat.
He threw jibes at the BJP on issues specific to its rule in Karnataka, especially corruption and attacks on women. “You sit next to Yeddyurappa and also embrace him. You still talk of corruption,” he stated, without taking Modi’s name.

The BJP, he said, talks of women’s empowerment. “In Karnataka, a minister was involved in rape. Other ministers watched (porn) pictures. Women were beaten up by moral police. Still they talk of women’s empowerment. If we talk of Gujarat, a woman’s phone was tapped. Gujarat police stalked a woman. How will you empower women? They (BJP) do not trust women. They do not respect women,” he charged.

Rahul, in his 40-minute address, further charged the BJP with breaking “a world record” in corruption by looting the state and also accused the party of turning the garden city into “garbage city.” The BJP came to power in the State by talking about India shining and Gujarat model. But they completedly neglected infrastructure and, instead, looted money, he alleged.

“Of the four ministers jailed, one is still in. The BJP chief minister went to jail. Entire world talked about it,” he stated and charged the BJP with stalling his efforts to pass anti-corruption bills in Parliament. Rahul, who spoke in Hindi, also focussed on the growth of Bangalore as the IT hub and efforts of people who made it possible. He credited in part the Congress government in the state led by former chief minister S M Krishna for Bangalore’s IT growth.

He promised free healthcare and shelter if the Congress is returned to power, besides boost to manufacturing sector along with software.