Modi launches another attack on Cong in Guj
AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday resumed his extensive election campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party on his third and last day in poll-bound Gujarat as he addressed massive public gatherings in Surendranagar, Bharuch and Navsari city.
Canvassing for his party in Jambusar town in tribal-dominated Bharuch district, the PM took a swipe at the opposition Congress, saying its leaders remained oblivious to the needs of tribals for a very long time. He added that Congress leaders mocked him for wearing traditional tribal attire at public functions.
“For a very long time, Congress leaders remained unaware of the existence of tribals in India. Weren’t they living here since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna?.. Weren’t they part of the 1857 mutiny? Tribals did so many things for this country. But, Congress leaders never knew that Adivasis exist.” “Otherwise, why was there no separate ministry for tribals until Atal Bihari Vajpayee became prime minister? It was Ataljee’s government at the Centre which carved out a separate ministry and allocated a budget for their welfare. Even today, Congress leaders make fun of me for wearing tribal attire,” Modi said while addressing a poll rally.
The PM, who is campaigning in his home state since November 19, said Adivasis cannot expect Congress will improve their condition because leaders of Congress mock tribal outfits and insult tribals at regular intervals.
“While past Congress candidates left tribals to fend for themselves in Gujarat, it was BJP, after coming to power, resolved their issues such as education, health, malnutrition and employment among others,” he added.
Modi’s remarks came even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was addressing a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district.
Tribals are the “first owners” of the country, Rahul Gandhi said, but the BJP was trying to take away their rights. A day earlier, Gandhi had accused the Narendra Modi-government of weakening the laws framed by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to empower tribals and said his party will strengthen them further after coming to power again.
Earlier in the day, the PM also took a dig at the Congress leader’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying those who have been thrown out of power are taking out foot march to get back to power.
Addressing a gathering in Surendranagar town, Modi also said instead of talking about development during elections, the opposition Congress is saying it will show him his “aukat” (status).
“Now, the Congress does not talk about development during elections. Instead, Congress leaders are saying they will show Modi his aukat. Just look at their arrogance. They, indeed, belong to a royal family, while I am merely a servant having no aukat,” he said.
“In the past, the Congress had used words like ‘neech aadmi’,
‘maut ka saudagar’ and ‘naali ka keeda’ for me. I urge you to talk about development instead of playing this game of ‘aukat’,” the PM said, adding that he swallows such insults because his focus is to make India a developed nation.
The voting in the BJP-ruled state will be held in two phases, on December 1 and 5. The votes will be counted on December 8.
In another jibe at Rahul Gandhi, the PM said leaders who are doing padyatra do not know the difference between groundnut and cottonseed crops.
Without taking names, he further said some people abuse Gujarat even after eating the “salt” manufactured in the state.
Modi said though Gujarat produces 80% of the country’s salt, the previous Congress governments never paid attention to the issues of salt pan workers, known as ‘agariyas’.
The people of Surendranagar district had “made a mistake” of giving some seats to the Congress in 2017, he said, adding that the opposition MLAs did nothing good for their constituencies.
The PM’s rallies were part of a series of ‘Vijay Sankalp Sammelans’ for the ruling BJP, which he started on Saturday evening with a roadshow in Valsad. On Sunday, he addressed four of the eight planned rallies in the state - in Veraval, Dhoraji, Amreli and Botad.
(With agency inputs) serious damage. It was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that was being carried by Shariq who has suspected links to the Islamic State (IS), chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and police officials said on Sunday.
“Prima facie, this is a terror act. The state police are investigating the matter and as per the primary information, it [the explosion] was because of an IED instrument,” Bommai said. Praveen Sood, the state’s director general of police and inspector general of police (DGP&IGP) said they were bringing central agencies on board to probe the incident.
“It’s confirmed now. The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies,” he had tweeted. A senior police officer privy to the details of the investigation said they found a burnt pressure cooker and batteries connected to an “electronic device” from the wrecked auto, which confirmed the presence of an IED.
“The suspects made an IED, but we have not found any sign of ammonium nitrate (a powerful chemical used in bomb-making). Even though a forensic analysis is pending, we suspect they have used gunpowder or chemicals used for making matchboxes,” said the officer.
Officers said the IED accidentally exploded inside the auto. “We suspect that the bomb accidentally exploded while he [the suspect] was on his way. What we gather is that since he used highly inflammable material to make the IED and kept it inside a pressure cooker, it exploded due to friction. FSL will be able to verify it in the coming days,” said a senior state intelligence department official.
According to police, Shariq was a part of a terror module that wanted to establish an IS province in South India. Shariq was first arrested in December 2020 in connection with pro-IS graffiti. He was later released on bail.
During an investigation into a stabbing incident in Shivamogga earlier in the year, the police busted an alleged terror module with suspected links to IS.
“We suspect that after Shivamogga police action, he [Shariq] went to Tamil Nadu, procured the material for the bomb, took accommodation in Mysuru using fake documents, and made the bomb,” said a senior intelligence department official
Police also recovered an Aadhaar card and mobile phone from the auto, officers said, adding that during the investigation they found that the suspect was using someone else’s details for the identity card.