Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during an election rally for Lok Sabha polls, in Nanded, Saturday, April 20, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: In a stinging attack on Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the “Congress shehzada” would leave Wayanad like the way he did in Amethi.
“The Congress shehzada now has no choice but to contest from Wayanad, but like he left Amethi he may also leave Wayanad,” Modi said, addressing a mammoth rally in Nanded in Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
During his speech, Modi lashed out at the Congress and the I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc, saying that during the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, they have been completely rejected by the electorate who gave a thumbs up to the BJP-led NDA for ‘Viksit Bharat’.
"Congress is the wall between the development of Dalits, poor and deprived….“The I.N.D.I.A. alliance only believes in vote-bank politics,” Modi said, adding that the Congress even today opposes any developmental work that his government intends to carry out.
“One can never expect them to resolve any issues and people cannot expect robust developmental prospects from them,” he said.
Highlighting the dire state and fragile conditions of Marathwada and Vidarbha, Modi said, “For decades, Congress stalled the development of Vidarbha and Marathwada," adding, “it is the policies of the Congress that both Marathwada and Vidarbha are water-deficient, its farmers are poor and there are no prospects for industrial growth,” he said.
The PM further added that the NDA government has enabled 'Nal se Jal' to 80 per cent of households in Nanded.
He said that the BJP's constant endeavor has been to facilitate the empowerment of farmers through record rise in MSPs, income support through PM-KISAN, and the promotion of ‘Sree Anna’.
Highlighting the infra impetus in Nanded in the last decade, Modi said: “To treat every wound given by Congress is Modi's guarantee.”
He added the Shaktipeeth Highway and Latur Rail Coach Factory is his government's commitment to a robust infrastructure.
Elaborating on the relationship between the Sikh Gurus and Nanded, Modi said, “The land of Nanded reflects the purity of India's Sikh Gurus.”
He added that we are guided by the principles of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
“Over the years we have celebrated the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, and the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji,” said Modi.
He said that the Congress has always opposed the Sikh community and is taking revenge for 1984, and added that that it is due to this that they oppose the CAA that aims to bring the Sikh brothers and sisters to India, granting them citizenship.
"Our government brought back the Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan and facilitated the Kartarpur corridor. He said that various other decisions like the abrogation of Article 370 and the abolition of Triple Talaq have greatly benefited our Muslim sisters and brothers,’ he said.