‘New India’ strikes into enemy territory: Modi at Churu rally
JAIPUR: Insulting the army and dividing people is the “identity” of the Congress, and the party was soft on fighting terrorism when it was in power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Friday, asserting the country now is a “new India” which does not shy away in striking within enemy territory.
Addressing a poll rally in Churu, his second in Rajasthan in three days, Modi highlighted the work done by his government in the last 10 years and said it was just an “appetiser” and the main course is yet to come.
“When we carried out the airstrikes and surgical strikes, Congress were demanding proof of bravery of our security forces. Insulting the army and dividing the country is the identity of Congress,” Modi said, in an apparent reference to counterstrikes in Pakistan after terror attacks in India.
Modi recalled he was in Churu for a poll rally on February 26, 2019, when the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on terror camps in Balakot across the Line of Control.
Stating this is a “new India”, which strikes within enemy territory, he added: “Today even the enemy knows that this is Modi, this is the new India.”
Listing out his government’s achievements in ensuring allround development in the country in the last decade, he said “Modi’s guarantee” is being discussed today across the country and Rajasthan is an example of how Modi’s guarantees were fulfilled and at what speed.
“I gave a guarantee that cylinders for the poor will be cheaper, it has been fulfilled. An inquiry will be conducted against the Congress paper leak industry, it has been completed,” he said, adding people no longer have to struggle to meet basic needs as was the case under the Congress regime.
“No matter how much has happened, whatever has happened till now is a trailer. What Modi has done so far, it was just an appetiser and the main course is still to come,” he said. “There is a lot to be done... there are a lot of dreams. We have to take the country far ahead.”Targeting the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, referring to it as “ghamandia gathbandhan (arrogant alliance), Modi said: “I say remove corruption, they say save corruption. They are not holding rallies for the election but to save the corrupt.”
He also accused the Congress of always prioritising appeasement over the national interests.
“The country has seen what extent these people could go to please others. They said in the court that Lord Shri Ram is imaginary,” he said. “A few months back, the whole country was celebrating when the dream of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya was fulfilled, but the Congress was openly insulting our faith.”
Attack the Congress for its stand on the Ayodhya Ram temple issue — the party’s top leadership declined the invitation to participate in the inauguration of the grand temple on January 22.
“Congress has issued an advisory asking all its unit to keep their mouths locked whenever the Ayodhya Ram Temple is discussed. They feel if they take the name of Ram, toh pata nahi kab Ram-Ram ho jaye (it can become ‘Ram-Ram’ for them),” he said.
He also accused the Congress and INDIA bloc of being “anti-poor and anti-Dalit”.
“The Congress and the INDI alliance have their own interests. They have nothing to do with the welfare and respect of the poor, Dalit and underprivileged people. These are the same people who did not respect Baba Ambedkar. Congress did not allow Bharat Ratna for Baba Saheb (BR Ambedkar) for decades. They imposed Emergency. Backward classes commission was not given constitutional status. Modi fulfilled the decades-old demand. BJP gave the country a Dalit president and a tribal woman as president,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing a hat-trick of clean sweep in Rajasthan — the party had won all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the desert state in 2014 and 2019 general elections.
In Churu, which will go to polls in the first phase on April 19, BJP candidate Devendra Jhajharia, a Paralympian, will square off against sitting lawmaker Rahul Kaswan, who recently switched over to the Congress.
Accusing the previous Congress government in the state of stalling the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, Modi said after the BJP came to power, not only has the project been approved but work has also started on it, he added. “Whatever the BJP says, it fulfils.”
“Unlike other parties, the BJP does not just issue ‘Ghoshna Patra’, it brings ‘Sankalp Patra’,” Modi said, adding that most of the promises made in the BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ in 2019 have been kept. His comment came hours after the Congress released its manifesto for the general elections.
Referring to the law on “triple talaq”, Modi said it has saved the lives of not only Muslim sisters but also all Muslim families.
Modi also sought votes for BJP candidates Sumedhanant Saraswati and Shubhkaran Choudhary from Sikar and Jhunjhunu constituencies, respectively, which will also go to polls in the first phase.
Reacting to the PM’s address, Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said Modi was just making statements for political mileage.
“During Congress rule, the country’s borders were secure. But in BJP rule, we have seen China’s aggression on our borders. The biggest terrorist attack on India’s Parliament too happened under BJP rule,” Chaturvedi said.
Stating that the Congress did not boycott the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the spokesperson said the grand temple was built after the Supreme Court order, adding “Modi has no contribution in it. We have faith in our gods and do not need certification from anyone.”