rime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, in Pune, Tuesday.
Credit: PTI Photo
Pune: Amid repeated attacks from the Congress and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Narendra Modi for helping his “businessmen friends”, namely “Adani-Ambani”, the Prime Minister on Tuesday reached out to the middle-class and spoke about the initiatives that his government has taken in a decade’s time.
“The BJP-led NDA government has always prioritised the middle class. I believe that it is the backbone of the country. It creates and generates wealth. The middle class has made the biggest contribution which is why India is on the path to becoming the third-largest economy in the world,” Modi said addressing a rally in the historic city of Pune, known as Maharashtra’s cultural capital.
“The country is progressing because the middle class is moving ahead. Therefore, in the last 10 years, we have made new policies and taken decisions, keeping the middle class in mind,” Modi said.
“Today, no tax is to be paid up to the income of Rs 7 lakhs per annum,” he said.
Seeking to address the issue in Pune, known for its vibrant middle-class, Modi said: “To empower the people of Pune, infrastructure, investment and industry - all three are required. We have worked on every aspect of it. In the last 10 years, the FDI has increased exponentially. Maharashtra is at the top of the list of investment companies that have been visiting India for investment in the last two-and-a-half years. Pune and this region will get a huge share of this investment. The number of companies increased when the investment was made in the electronics and IT sectors.”
“The relationship between Pune and BJP is of ideology, culture and faith. Pune has always supported the ideology and vision of BJP. I am deeply grateful to the people of Pune for this trust. I have come to assure you that the new Maha Yuti government will work faster for the development of Pune and Maharashtra. The coming five years will be the years of new flight of development for Pune,” said Modi.
“Your aspirations are your command to me. Your dreams are the inspiration for me to work day and night. Your needs are the basis of my government's plans. It is my priority that your life should be easy, it is the priority of the Maha Yuti,” the Prime Minister said.
On abrogation of Article 370 and the recent events in Jammu & Kashmir, Modi said: “With the blessings of the people, Modi, your sevak, has buried Article 370 deep into the ground. Article 370 separated Kashmir from India. Article 370 promoted terrorism and separatism in Kashmir. Article 370 did not let the Constitution of India apply in Kashmir. BJP abrogated Article 370 and hoisted tricolour. We restored peace in Kashmir and thwarted the plans of the separatists.”
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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