Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and said the “royal” family of the party is the country’s most corrupt one and it was under the Congress rule that corruption took roots in the government system and gained strength.

Addressing an election rally in Sonipat, Haryana, he said people in Haryana cannot forget how the State was “looted” when the Congress ruled the State. “Lands of the farmers were looted, and the State was handed over to dalaals (middlemen) and damaads (sons in law),” he said.

When the top leadership is corrupt, cadres below get an easy license to loot, the Prime Minister said.

Drawing attention to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s alleged role in the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) scam, the Prime Minister said the Congress is completely entrenched in corruption.

He said “it has only been two years, and just look at the Congress government in Karnataka. The Chief Minister is facing accusations of a land scam. When he appeared in the High Court, his plea was dismissed.”

Ten years ago when Haryana was ruled by the Congress, no job could be secured without cheating, and there was no organisation free of corruption, the Prime Minister said. It is well known wherever the Congress took control, corruption and nepotism followed.

The Congress always kept marginalised communities in the State out of benefit of government schemes and programmes, Mr Modi said. The scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs) did not enjoy the benefits of governance.

Babasaheb Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution, gave reservation to Dalits, otherwise they too would have waited for the defeat of the Congress to get reservation benefits like the OBCs, Mr Modi said.

“Whenever the Congress has been away from the government, the poor, SC/ST/OBC have got their rights. Whenever Congress has been in the government, it has snatched the rights of Dalits and backward classes,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi said the BJP has been in power in Haryana for the last 10 years, and none has heard of any corruption charges against the BJP government. The BJP has put an end to all corruption in government interface with the public.

“The BJP government in Haryana has decided to give MSP for 24 crops, but when the Congress was here, it hated to buy crops on MSP. This is the truth of the Congress party which the farmers need to learn. The BJP government is continuously taking decisions in the interests of the farmers,” the Prime Minister said.

He also reflected on economic development and infrastructure development in the state, highlighting better connectivity and construction of highways. Today products of the State are reaching different parts of the world.

The Prime Minister said big companies of the world are today eager to invest in India and set up their factories. “Just think, when such big companies invest in India, my Haryana, the youth and the farmers here will benefit a lot,” he said.

The public of Haryana knows the importance of a “double-engine government,” and therefore chooses the same government both in the Centre and the State,” Mr Modi said.

The Prime Minister said Jammu and Kashmir was witnessing peaceful voting in the second phase of polling. He said the Congress wants to restore Article 370 and thereby give fresh encouragement to separatism. ”Just to pursue its policy of appeasement, the Congress wants to implement the agenda of India’s enemies. Bringing Article 370 back would be an insult to those who sacrificed their lives fighting against terrorism,” he said.

The Prime Minister praised Haryana’s contribution to national achievements. “Haryana is the medal factory of India. In the Olympic and world games, the youth of Haryana has participated majorly. Small nurseries of Olympic games will be built in each district so that the youth of Haryana represent the country at international platforms,” he said.