Teleprompters tell PM Modi not to speak of jobs, Rs 15 lakh, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now afraid of uttering the word 'chowkidar' as he knows what follows next.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PIC/AFP.

REWA: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his teleprompters tell him not to speak about unfulfilled election promise of jobs and depositing Rs 15 lakh in bank account of every Indian. Gandhi was addressing a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district. "You have heard Modi's speech. He used to talk about (his) 56-inch chest. What is happening now? It is clearly written on the teleprompters that Modi ji, don't talk about (the 2014 poll promises of) employment (generation) and giving Rs 15 lakh (to each Indian) even by mistake, else it can damage (the partys prospects)," PTI quoted Modi as saying. A teleprompter is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script. Modi is known to speak extempore at political meetings but was seen using teleprompters at some poll rallies. The machines were not visible in the television frame. "Congress people have promised to give Rs 3.60 lakh (in five years, under the Nyay scheme) to the poor. Therefore, Modi now speaks with hesitation," Gandhi said. Addressing a poll rally here, Gandhi also said Modi is now afraid of uttering the word 'chowkidar' as he knows what follows next. "The Election Commission told me not to say the word `chowkidar'. Because whenever you say `chowkidar', people reply with `chor hai' (is a thief)," he said. "Is this my fault? I simply use the word chowkidar." "Now even Modi himself does not say the word chowkidar even at his party meetings, because if he mistakenly uses that word, BJP people may give the (same) reply," Gandhi said. "Modi deceived the youth the most by promising two crore jobs. Contrary to his claim, 27,000 persons are losing job every 24 hours. Unemployment rate in India is the highest in the last 45 years," Gandhi said. The Congress, if voted to power, will give 22 lakh youth government jobs within a year and 10 lakh others will get jobs in village panchayats, he said. Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha seats. While six of them went to the polls in the first phase on April 29, the remaining 23 constituencies will vote on May 6, 12 and 19. Election for the Rewa seat will be held on May 6. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. So far, voting has been completed for four of the seven phases. Polling was held on Monday for 72 Lok Sabha seats spread across nine states in the fourth phase. In the first three phases, election was held to 91, 96 and 117 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23 respectively. Polling for the fifth phase will be held on May 6. (With inputs from PTI)