Modi says past governments didn’t care about security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the past Congress governments, saying they were only concerned about the interest of a “namdar” family, not the country’s security. He added that these “incompetent and scared” governments also failed to demonstrate India’s defence capability in space.

“Balasore recorded its name in history with Mission Shakti, which was conducted from here. The previous governments did not demonstrate the country’s defence capability as they were busy serving the interests of a namdar family,” said Modi while addressing an election rally in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency.

Referring to India’s anti-satellite missile test, which made the country a space superpower as only three other countries in the world possess such a capability, Modi said: “The entire country is rejoicing the feat, but the ‘mahamilawatis’ are unhappy. They say Modi shouldn’t have done it. He should have kept it a secret.”

“But for this chowkidar, the country comes first. Our thinking is clear that for new India, it must be Jai Kisan, Jai Jawan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan,” he added.

Modi appealed to the people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying: “Give the BJP just five years to work in Odisha, I assure you five times more development than whatever happened in the past 19 years.”

The Prime Minister accused the BJD of feeding the demon of corruption, which has kept the people poor in one of the richest states in the country. Rather than developing Odisha, BJD leaders continued to amass money through coal and to chit fund scams. The looters of the poor will not be spared at any cost, he added.

Modi also accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a few officers of having caged the dreams of the people and alleged that they were now attacking BJP workers scared as they were of lotus blooming across Odisha.

Modi accused the Congress of deceiving the people of India for over last seven decades while citing the significant tasks accomplished by his government in the last five years.

Addressing a poll rally here, he said: “Even after many decades, surprisingly, Congress does not know what the real issues of the country are. Had you (people) not brought us (in 2014), they would have continued with their endeavours.”

Modi said that the National Democratic Alliance government is working to make people’s life easier while promising them complete security.

Welcoming new voters, he said: “This election shall lay the foundation of India’s 21st century as the future of this century will be decided in next five years.”

Taking credit for bringing in a pension for workers of the unorganised sector, he said: “We brought in a pension for poor farmers, labourers and workers and also gave loans to 17 crore people under the Mudra Scheme to set their new ventures.”

“In fact, NDA has proved that it is possible to run the nation by forming an honest government. This honest government has established a new trend... if a rich person fails to return the taxpayers’ money, he shall not be able to sleep peacefully, if he tries to run away, it will be difficult for him to do so, if he plans to escape to a foreign nation, he will have to come back or else, he will be brought back.

“We are the first government which punished those fleeing away with our banks’ money. Earlier, the governments ensured that their billionaire friends get loans via phone banking, but we are giving loans to tribals and poor without any guarantee. This perhaps has happened for the first time when 4.5 crore people took loans from banks and started their new ventures,” he added.

Modi announced that by 2022, all tribals and poor will have their own permanent houses. “We have provided Rs 5 lakh to country’s 50 crore families and tribals as a medical aid,” he said, referring to the Ayushmann Bharat Yojana.

The Prime Minister also questioned the credibility of Congress’ promises, saying that they had promised loan waiver for farmers, but soon after winning elections, disappeared. “Gone are days when people trusted their fake promises,” he added. He also warned tribals of the state to not fall for the Congress’ rumours and promised them that he will never allow any trouble to come to them or their identity.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party has fielded Shalini Yadav as the joint candidate of the SP-BSP alliance in Varanasi to challenge Modi in the Lok Sabha elections.

Indo-Asian News Service