INDIA bloc marginalising farmers, youth: PM Modi

Tribune News Service

Animesh Singh

New Delhi, April 19

In an all-out attack on the Congress-led INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Opposition of not only cheating the backward communities in the name of social justice, but also blamed it for weakening the nation’s defence sector and neglecting development work, thus marginalising farmers and the youth.

Takes dig at Rahul, Akhilesh Yadav

In a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, PM Narendra Modi said, "The shooting of the film, 'Do Shehzadon Ki Jodi (pair of two princes)', is going on. But their film has already been rejected by the people."

Addressing three political rallies across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the PM said only a stable government of the NDA had managed to provide a decisive leadership to the nation across all sectors.

Addressing a rally in support of BJP’s Amroha candidate Kanwar Singh Tanwar in western Uttar Pradesh, the PM accused previous governments of cheating SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice, and said he was working to fulfil the dreams of Jyotiba Phule, BR Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh.

He also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, saying, “The shooting of the film, ‘Do Shehzadon Ki Jodi (pair of two princes)’, is going on. But their film has already been rejected by the people.”

Hitting out at Congress candidate from Amroha Danish Ali, the PM said Ali had objection in saying “Bharat Mata ki jai”. “Will a person, who cannot accept Bharat Mata ki jai, look good in Parliament? Should such a person be allowed into Parliament?” he said.

Slamming the Opposition, Modi said, “The SP and the Congress declined the invitation for the Ram Temple’s consecration in Ayodhya. They are not satisfied after refusing the invitation, so they abuse Sanatan Dharma. The SP, for its vote bank, calls Ram bhakts ‘pakhandi’ (hypocrite). Those in the INDIA bloc hate Sanatan Dharma.”

At a rally in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, which goes to the polls on April 26, Modi focussed on international affairs and India’s contribution in the defence sector.

Taking a dig at Pakistan without naming it, Modi said a country that was a supplier of “aatank” (terror) was struggling for “aata” (flour) these days. He said India, which once bought most of its arms from overseas, was now exporting high-tech weapons to other countries.

Defending India’s move to purchase oil from Russia in face of international pressure after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he said, “To ensure that the people of the country get cheap oil and farmers get adequate fertilisers, we have taken this decision in the national interest. During the Covid-19 crisis, there was chaos the world over, but a strong BJP government brought back its citizens from all over the globe.”

Modi praised Iqbal Ansari, a former litigant in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, for accepting the invitation to attend the January 22 consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and slammed the Opposition for boycotting the event.

In Maharashtra’s Wardha, Modi said voting for the Congress in the state would be akin to wasting one’s vote as the Opposition party had not yet come out of the mentality of imposing emergency.

During the Congress era, only stones announcing the inauguration of projects were installed, whereas no work was actually done on the ground. “The BJP, on the other hand, has been working towards making India a self-reliant nation,” he said.

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