Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday called upon Maoists to give up arms join the mainstream.
"Somebody was telling me that a news is doing the rounds in the newspaper in Maharashtra, where a Congress leader in order to get more votes, has called for reduced security presence in Gadchiroli which is a hot bed of Maoists. Hence, I want the State Election Commission and the Central Election Commission to take note of it. Is this is a part of your cheap strategy to get votes and play with innocent lives. Hence, these people will not be doing any good for the country. The UPA itself is confused as to how it can prevent innocent people from coming infront of the guns of Maoists. The Congress leaders are busy involved in infighting, and hence, and cannot direct those youths who could be brought into the mainstream. It is my ardent request to Maoists not to spill blood in their motherland and transform the country into an agricultural paradise," Modi said at his rally in Chandrapur.
"If you give up arms and take up the plough, then you can feed those teeming hungry people. If you get educated and take up a pen, then you can give justice to the deprived and the needy. It is through democracy that issues could be solved and not through bloodshed. We need to be alive to transform the lives of the people and not to take people's lives," Modi added.
At the same time he took dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi on misleading the nation over women's safety.
"Madam Soniaji, you are the president of the Congress party, and you have taken upon the mission to misleading the women on their security. States with most atrocities against women are Congress states and it is published by your own government. In top 10 there is no mention of any BJP or NDA ruled state where women are mistreated. It is extremely shameful that you being a woman yourself , how could you allow seven out of ten states ruled by your own party failing to contain atrocities against women. And you are presenting wrong facts before the people," Modi said.
"Madam Sonia ji you had declared 1000 crore for Nirbhaya fund. What happened to that money? Will the business of paper help save the sanctity of women? Will shedding tears like that of a crocodile protect the women? You talk of women's safety. What happened in Latur? According to newspaper which I have read I found it startling that a youth congress woman went missing and was later found dead? Police arrested youth congress workers. Please tell us if women in your own party workers are not safe then how you could protect the women of this nation. From Tandoor case to what happened in Latur, Congress' commitment to women rights is quite clear. Hence, do not mislead nation and therefore questions are being raised if you (Sonia Gandhi) are sincere enough to do good for this nation at all," Modi added.