UPA has spoilt people’s ‘GDP’, says Narendra Modi

Chief minister Narendra Modi on Sunday came down heavily on the Congress-led UPA government for its failure to control inflation, even as BJP leader LK Advani’s Rath Yatra completed half of its Gujarat-leg.

“High inflation is hurting the common man, but the UPA government is not worried about it. The prime minister says that high inflation is because of higher GDP growth and increased prosperity. He is right as GDP stands for gas, diesel and petrol, which have made lives of people difficult,” Modi said, while addressing a public meeting in Surat.

Modi and Advani addressed a series of public meetings at Vapi, Valsad and Navsari followed by Surat. The crowds ranged from 3,000 - 5,000 in the other meetings, but the one at Surat attracted close to 20,000 people. Large number of people thronged the roads as the Rath reached Surat. Modi too appeared visibly pleased by the huge gathering.

Addressing Congress president Sonia Gandhi as Soniaben, Modi said that she had not said even once that corruption needed to be eradicated. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the CM said that even the new character in the Congress party hadn’t spoken about curbing corruption, to a loud applause from the gathering. Modi said that Congress had become synonymous with corruption, while Gujarat had come to symbolise progress.

The CM said that corruption could be eradicated, and that Gujarat had shown the way to do it. He also attributed Gujarat’s progress to the fact that the state government had curbed corruption. A large number of people started leaving as Modi’s speech got over and Advani started his address.