Gujarat Raj Bhavan is a Congress House: Modi

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Governor Kamla Beniwal, accusing her of conspiring with Congress against his government.

At a public meeting in Junagadh, Modi alleged that Governor's residence had become 'Congress House'.

"It is very unfortunate that people whose only aim is to defame Modi are seriously damaging the public life in the state, and when Raj Bhavan becomes a hub of political conspiracies, it becomes duty of the CM to tell the truth," Modi said.

On Monday, Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhvadia had alleged that while the state had declared 152 tehsils as scarcity-hit, the Chief Minister would be hosting a "Rs 800 per plate" luncheon during the Independence Day celebration.

Hitting out at the Congress and the Governor, Modi said, "We are committed to honour the post of Governor and Raj Bhavan, but here Raj Bhavan has become Congress Bhavan and conspiracies to defame Gujarat government are being hatched here."

He further said he had not organised any luncheon.

"Actually, on behalf of the Governor, there is a gathering called 'At Home' in Junagadh today, and for that Governor's office had invited tenders, and one tender was submitted for Rs 700 per dish of snacks and tea," he said.

"It is the Governor's office which invites tenders and finalise the dishes and state government just has to pay the bill."

This is the first time Modi has taken on the issues raised by state Congress leadership, or its promises.

"Some fraudulent people are roaming around... offering houses to women of Gujarat. But why they aren't building houses only for women in Congress-ruled Delhi?"

The Gujarat Congress has promised affordable houses to housewives on coming to power, and started distributing application forms.

Modi said if state Congress had courage, it should distribute letters with the seal of Union Government or of Prime Minister. "Otherwise this is a fraud scheme."

Targeting the Governor, Modi said his government introduced and got passed a bill providing 50 per cent reservations to women in local self-governance bodies, "but Governor, herself a woman, has declined to give assent".