Modi will even divide country to become PM: Rahul

Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday raked up "snoopgate" controversy to lash out at BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying the BJP's PM nominee is so desperate for power that he can even "divide the nation" to achieve his goal.

Addressing a rally at Karhibadar village in Balod district in Kanker Lok Sabha constituency, Rahul said, "Modi wants to become PM and he can do anything for it. He will divide the nation."

Rahul, who was canvassing for party candidate Phulodevi Netam who is contesting against BJP's Vikram Usendi, said everything is "consolidated" in Modi's hand in the BJP.

"In BJP, only one person knows everything about the world. If anything happens in the country, only that person knows it. They think only (that) person will change the country," the Congress vice-president said.

Rahul also took potshots at Modi over his "chowkidar" pitch and over recent heartburn in senior party leaders L K Advani and Jaswant Singh over their choice of Lok Sabha seats.

"Wah chowkidari ki baat karte hai...Unke bade neta hai Advaniji aur Jaswant Singhji. Unse puchhiye chowkidari kaise hui aur unka kya hua (He talks about becoming 'chowkidar'. Ask their (BJP's) senior leaders Advaniji and Jaswantji of this 'chowkidari' and what happened to them," Rahul said.

He said BJP was involved in "communalism and is dividing the nation in the name of religion".

Referring to alleged surveillance on a woman architect by cops in Gujarat, Rahul said, "What kind of women empowerment they talk about. If women are being sexually exploited, policemen are sent behind women and their phone being tapped. BJP talks about women empowerment. But everybody can see what kind of empowerment it is."

"Tribal women and minor girls are raped. The Gujarat chief minister sent policemen behind women, he asked to tap women's phones," he said.

Rahul also attacked ruling Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh over the safety of women and their empowerment - the issues Modi raises frequently to attack top Congress leadership.

"More than 20,000 women are missing in Chhattisgarh and ruling BJP talks of women empowerment," he said.

"Congress wants to give strength and rights to the common man so that people can pose questions to government. But in Gujarat, people cannot ask questions because there is no RTI. They talk about eradicating corruption but there is no Lokayukta in Gujarat," Rahul said.

"In Chhattisgarh, the tribals and downtrodden are deprived of the benefit from rich natural resources and only a few people are receiving the benefit," Rahul said.

He also listed out welfare scheme and "pro-people" policies of Central government during his speech.

Image: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi