Unlike Oppn, BJP is focussed on inclusive growth, says PM
SHIMLA/MANDI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at political opponents and said the Bharatiya Janata Party was focussed on inclusive development while opposition parties were mired in dynastic politics and selfish family interests.
Speaking in Himachal Pradesh after inaugurating a raft of projects, Modi tweaked his party’s poll slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (inclusive development for all) and extolled the benefits of the BJP’S doubleengine government, a reference to the party being in power both in the state and at the Centre.
Modi said there were two models of governance in the country: “Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas (inclusive development, everyone’s trust and effort)” and “khud ka swarth, parivaar ka swarth and parivar ka vikas (self interest, familial interest and family’s development)”.
“Working on the first model, the Himachal government not only implemented various schemes for the welfare of people of the state but also expanded Centre-sponsored schemes,” he said, adding the hill state also outperformed other states in vaccinating its adult population against Covid-19.
He said the other model was about self-interest and vote bank. “This could be checked from vaccination data of the states where they are running a government.”
The proponents of the second model made Himachal Pradesh wait for decades, he said. “That is why, Atal Tunnel was delayed which was completed by us. Similarly, Renuka Dam was also delayed for three decades.”
State Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, however, termed Modi’s remarks as “rhetoric”.
“Congress is the party that fought for independence of the country. Our leaders have laid their life for nation. All this rhetoric is meaning less,” he said.
The state goes to the polls late next year and the BJP faced some reverses in recent bypolls to three assembly seats and the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Monday also marked four years of the Jai Ram Thakur government.
Modi praised the state government for “valiantly fighting” the pandemic while ensuring the pace of development remained unaffected. “Today, the Himachal Pradesh government has completed four years. During its tenure, the government fought against Covid-19 and simultaneously made sure that development works don’t stop,” he said.
On Monday, the prime minister inaugurated 111MW Sawrakuddu Hydro Electric Project (HEP) constructed with an outlay of ₹2,081.60 crore and laid the foundation stones of the Renukaji Dam Project (₹6,946 crore), 210MW Luhri Stage-i (₹1,811 crore) and 66MW Dhaulasidh Power Project (₹688 crore). He also presided over the second groundbreaking ceremony of projects worth ₹28,197 crore in the state. Clad in a traditional Himachali cap.
He also said India has achieved 40% installed electricity from non-fossil resources, which was set for 2030.