India’s Modi vs Singh: Performance checklist

PRIME MINISTER TRUMPETS ACHIEVEMENTS AS HE KICK-STARTS WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION OF GOVERNMENT’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY Modi’s Mathura rally was part of the 200 rallies and 500 meetings being organised by the BJP to celebrate one year of Modi government over the

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday promised bad days for those who looted the nation while rededicating his government to the welfare of the nation.

Kick-starting the week-long anniversary celebration of his government, which came to power on May 26 last year, Modi addressed a rally at Chandrabhan village of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, which happens to be the birthplace of late Deen Dayal Upadhyay, ideologue of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh that later became the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Modi’s Mathura rally was part of the 200 rallies and 500 meetings being organised by the BJP to celebrate one year of Modi government over the next week and to reach out to voters.

Speaking for nearly an hour at the well-attended rally on a scorching summer afternoon, Modi explained that his preelection promises of achche din (good days) to the people were not hollow. He tried to turn the tables on the opposition, especially the erstwhile ruling Congress party, which has been constantly taking digs at him questioning where the promised good days are.

“I did not give guarantee of achche din for those who looted the nation for years. Your money cannot be looted by anyone now. Have you heard about any scams, any nepotism, any remote control in the last one year? Is it not beginning of good days?” Modi asked the cheering crowd.

Modi listed the achievements of his government on various fronts and compared it with those of the Congress party government headed by his predecessor Manmohan Singh who ruled the country for 10 years.

“After 30 years you gave a single party the mandate to run the government. Would the plight of India have changed if the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) were in power? Imagine what the plight of this country would have been if you had not taken such a big decision,” Modi said, adding that people alone and not himself, were the reason for the big change for the better in the country.

Modi, who a year ago described himself as pradhan sevak (prime servant) of the country, said he would no longer be the Pradhan Mantri (prime minister) but pradhan

(prime guard) of the nation, looking after welfare of the people, especially the poor and the farmers.

“Good days for everyone have come, but bad days are here for those power brokers and those who looted the nation. Not long ago coal blocks were allocated to their cronies. Now we are auctioning them and money is coming to the government,” the prime minister said, adding “some people are screaming because for 60 years their voices were heard in the power circles of Delhi. Middlemen are a thing of the past and days of those who looted the treasury are over.”

Power, irrigation plans

Modi reiterated his government’s plans for uninterrupted power and irrigation facilities for farmers, quality seeds and fertilisers, houses for all and listed the pro-people measures initiated by his government including opening of bank accounts and insurance for all at as low as 1 rupee per month.

Modi also said the aim of his government is to ensure job opportunities for youth, which is a must to eradicate poverty from the country. He said his government was able to control rising prices and foreign investment has increased eight times to Rs250 billion (Dh14.46 billion).

The prime minister, however, said real job opportunities were being created by 60 million small businessmen who employ 120 million people. He said his government has ensured they can get easy loans from Rs10,000 to Rs1 million to expand their business and create more job opportunities.

“I had promised I will not take a day’s vacation and I have not. Every minute we have taken new initiatives and tried to create new solutions for India,” Modi said while reminding people that it will take him 365 hours to list in detail achievements of his government over the past 365 days.