Congress entrapped in Blue Whale game, final episode on Dec 18: PM

The Congress is "entrapped" in Blue Whale challenge and will see the final episode on December 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, invoking the dangerous online game which culminates in the player committing suicide, to attack the opposition party.

Addressing a rally in Patan in northern Gujarat on the penultimate day of campaigning for the second and final phase of assembly polls, Modi targeted Congress's president-elect Rahul Gandhi, saying he was born with a "golden spoon" and has not seen poverty.

He also rejected allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi that he works only for a few industrialists, and accused him of spreading "falsehood and half-truths" about Gujarat and trying to "fool and insult" the intelligence of the people of the state.

"When there are indications that the BJP has emerged victorious in the first round (of voting held on December 9), Congressmen are busy trying to find ways to defend Rahul Gandhi. One hour after the start of voting, senior leaders started shouting EVM...EVM...EVM..EVM.

One senior leader, he said, even claimed that an EVM was hacked by connecting it to bluetooth.

"They do not understand that the EVM is a standalone machine, it has no Internet, it cannot get connected to bluetooth. Can you connect your pen to a bluetooth?" Modi asked the crowd.

"They are shouting bluetooth, bluetooth (a low-power wireless connectivity technology), but actually they are entrapped in Blue Whale game and the final episode of the game will be played on December 18," Modi said.

Counting of votes for the keenly contested Gujarat election is scheduled for December 18.

Blue Whale is a mobile game in which participants are instructed to complete a range of challenges -- the final of which is committing suicide. According to reports, a large number of young people who played the game have ended their lives.

Modi alleged Gandhi has been levelling false allegations against him.

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"This Congress leader, on whose shoulders the entire responsibility of the party has come, has been alleging day and night that Modi works for five top industrialists of the country.

"You have seen me working here as chief minister for 13-14 years, I have grown up before your eyes. Have I ever worked for a few industrialists?" Modi asked the crowd which responded with an emphatic "no".

The prime minister asked his audience to exact "revenge" from those levelling such "baseless" allegations, and went on the list development works done by him for the poor of the country.

He said as the Gujarat chief minister he used to conduct 'shala praveshoutsav' (school enrolment drive) as part of which he would to go to villages every year to ensure 100 per cent enrolment.

"Was this work for Ambani or for the poor children of the state? I used to conduct 'krushi mahotsav' every year in which the entire government machinery, including the chief minister, used to go to villages to guide farmers on latest technology. Was this for Ambani-Adani, Tata-Birla or for the poor farmers of the country?"

Modi claimed Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were spreading "lies".

"We have problem with this blatant lie that has been spread by the Congress. You have not seen what is poverty. You do not know the pain one feels when you are walking barefoot and stone pierces your feet. You were born with a golden spoon," he said. 

Gandhi has been alleging that Modi works just for 5-10 top industrialists of the country.

"Our problem is, by repeating the same falsehood for over two months, you are underestimating the intelligence of the people of Gujarat.

"You are trying to fool people. You are insulting the people of this state," Modi said, adding voters are not fools and it will show in the election results. 

The second and final phase of polling in 93 assembly seats will be held on December 14.

Photograph: PTI Photo