Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Congress could never understand the Northeast and its people and did not work to improve connectivity for development in Manipur.
"Congress could never understand the people of Northeast, their feelings and their problems. Congress leaders come here, talk big but when they are out in other states, they make fun of Manipur's culture, language and costumes," Modi said while addressing a campaign rally at Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's constituency, Heingang in Manipur.
Modi's attack on Congress was an apparent counter to Rahul Gandhi's jibe at him on Monday in which the latter alleged that BJP tries to impose one ideology instead of respecting the diverse culture, language and food habits in Manipur and the rest of Northeast.
"Congress created a division between the hills and the valley to stay in power. They made bandh and blockades the fate of Manipur. It is the BJP-led government that provided people with a respite from bandh and blockades and opened a new chapter of development. We brought Manipur to the railway map of the country and Imphal will soon be connected via railway with the rest of the country. Previous governments worked on only one National Highway project, we have started work on 40 National Highway projects. Once the transboundary highway connecting Myanmar and Thailand is complete, Manipur will become the centre of India's a trade and commerce with East Asian nations," Modi said.
"It is the BJP government which fulfilled the long demand for Inner Line Permit in Manipur and set up a museum in the name of Rani Gaidinliu (freedom fighter)," the PM said.
Assembly elections in Manipur are scheduled on February 28 and March 4. In 2017, Congress had emerged as the single largest party but BJP stitched an alliance with the National People's Party and Naga People's Front and formed its first government. BJP, this time, is eyeing the absolute majority.
Modi said the BJP government in the state helped the women shopkeepers by constructing Ima Kaithal (all women market) in seven district headquarters. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress government had constructed the only women market and BJP did nothing to improve it or construct more such markets.
Oil palm mission:
Modi also defended the Centre's palm oil mission in the Northeast saying it would create more opportunities for farmers in Manipur. On Monday, Rahul said the palm oil mission would destroy Manipur and was for benefit of Patanjali and a few other big business groups.
Modi said nearly 22 lakh people (70% of the population) have benefitted from the free ration in the past two years provided by the BJP government. "Nearly 60,000 houses have been constructed and women are owners of the maximum of them. We have provided free electricity to 1.25 lakh households and 1.5 lakh free LPG connections. Till 2017, only 25,000 houses had piped drinking water connections but it has gone up to nearly 3 lakh in the past five years," Modi said as he urged people to vote for BJP again and give it an absolute majority.
"I am doing such works because you elected a government with an absolute majority in Delhi. We need the government with an absolute majority in the state also," Modi said.
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