Describing the “blessings of people” as “my biggest capital”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress, saying it has “only one agenda: anti-Modi, strong anti-Modi” and “everyone is abandoning the Congress, leaving only one family at its helm”.
Unveiling a string of projects dedicated to Rajasthan and Haryana, Modi tailored his speeches Friday to regional specifics, but at the same time sent out a national message by showcasing his government’s achievements and making a pointed attack on the Congress.
In Rewari in Haryana, where he made no mention of the ongoing farm protests at the state’s border with Punjab, Modi spoke on themes like the Ram temple, abrogation of Article 370, and said people were now saying that they would “bless the party that removed Article 370” by “applying a tika of 370 seats on its forehead” in the Lok Sabha polls.
On the issue of farmers, he said the BJP government in Haryana had effectively addressed the water problem faced by the state’s farmers, and also mentioned the Kisan Samman Nidhi, saying “Modi provides a guarantee to those who have nothing as guarantee”.
Dedicating projects worth Rs 17,000 crore to Rajasthan and speaking via a video link, Modi praised the people of the state for the rousing welcome they gave the visiting French President recently, and said their hospitality was being discussed across the country and in France.
“When Modi fulfils commitments made to you, some individuals become worried. Look at the state of the Congress party. Recently, you taught Congress a lesson, yet they refuse to accept it. Their sole agenda remains to criticise Modi. The more one denounces Modi, the more they embrace him. They neglect discussions about a developed Bharat because Modi advocates for it. They evade discussions about ‘Made in India’ because Modi promotes it. They remain silent on ‘vocal for local’ because Modi advocates for it. When Bharat becomes the fifth-largest economic power, the entire nation rejoices, but Congress members remain discontent,” he said.
“Regardless of what Modi says or does, they oppose him. They are willing to incur significant losses for the country just to oppose Modi. Congress has only one agenda: anti-Modi, strong anti-Modi. They spread divisive propaganda against Modi, dividing society. When a party becomes entangled in the vicious cycle of nepotism and dynasty politics, this is the result. Today, everyone is abandoning Congress, leaving only one family at its helm. Such politics fails to inspire young Bharat, especially the first-time voters who have grand dreams and aspirations, who support the vision of a developed Bharat,” he said.
Later, addressing a well-attended rally in Rewari after dedicating nine projects worth Rs 9,750-crore to Haryana, including laying the foundation stone of AIIMS Rewari, Modi recalled that his first rally in 2013, when the BJP had named him its Prime Ministerial candidate, was in “Veer Dhara Rewari” (land of the brave).
“At that time, Rewari had blessed me with 272-paar (272-plus). Now people are saying that I have come here again, and this time it will be NDA 400-paar (more than 400 seats)… the blessings of people are my biggest capital,” he said to chants of “Modi, Modi”.
Calling Rewari the “biggest witness of Modi’s guarantee”, he recalled the many promises made in 2013 including the implementation of one-rank-one-pension if he came to power, he said he had fulfilled the promise.
In both speeches Friday, Modi referred to his visits to UAE and Qatar, and said India’s global heft had risen to great heights in the last 10 years.
“Until 2014, we were just discussing terror attacks, unemployment and corruption,” he said in his Rajasthan address, adding that now the country was looking forward to “great development”.
In Rewari, he said the Congress hated the fact that “a poor man’s son had become Prime Minister” of the country, adding that “the people became my shield when the Congress constantly conspired” against him.