'Abki baar 400 paar' slogan for Lok Sabha polls given by people, not BJP, says PM

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the BJP is preparing for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls keeping in mind its aim to make India the world's third-largest economy and asserted people have coined the slogan about the saffron party-led bloc NDA crossing the 400-seat mark this time.

He lashed out at the Congress and accused the grand old party, which has ruled at the Centre for decades, of destroying the traditional manufacturing prowess of the country.

The PM noted India's credibility on the international stage has gone up several notches in the last 10 years of his tenure, helping attract more investment in the country, and added nations all over the world are keen to have good ties with New Delhi.

Modi made the comments while virtually addressing the Viksit Bharat, Viksit Madhya Pradesh programme after inaugurating development projects worth more than Rs 17,551 crore in the BJP-ruled state.

On the occasion, he dedicated to the nation several projects in key sectors such as irrigation, power, road, rail, water supply, coal and industry via video link.

He expressed confidence about the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which has more than two dozen parties, winning more than 400 seats (out of total 543) in the Lok Sabha elections, a feat achieved only once in India's history - by the Congress under Rajiv Gandhi in 1984.

"One thing is being heard all over, abki baar 400 paar... abki baar 400 par (NDA winning more than 400 Lok Sabha seats). It is happening for the first time that people have themselves given currency to such a slogan," the BJP stalwart asserted.

Modi maintained that people have shown immense faith in his guarantees.

"The BJP has not given this slogan (of NDA topping 400-seat mark), but it is the people of the county who have coined it. The people's immense faith in Modi ki guarantee was awesome. For us the aim is not to just form a government for the third time. In the third term, we will turn the country into the third-largest world economy (from 5th now). With this in mind, we are approaching the elections," he declared.

The PM highlighted that toy making was once India's forte, but a few years ago markets and homes were flooded with foreign-made toys, thanks to policies of the past Congress governments.

"The Congress governments have ruined traditional manufacturing power of the country. We had a big tradition of toy making, but the situation came to such a pass that till a few years ago markets and homes were flooded with foreign-made toys," he added.

Things improved only after BJP came to power at the Centre 10 years ago, the PM said. "We bolstered the traditional toy industry and helped Vishwakarma (artisans/craftspeople) families. Today, exports from foreign countries have slumped. We export more toys now than we import. The toy industry in Madhya Pradesh's Budhni has abundant opportunities," he added.

Modi asserted he has taken upon himself the task of improving the life of traditional artisans, who he alleged, were earlier neglected.

"Modi has taken the responsibly of publicising traditionally manufactured products in the country and world over. I am doing publicity of your art and skills. I gift to foreign dignitaries products of our cottage industry. In this way, I advertise your products," the PM stated.

"India's credibility has increased manifold in the world. Today, countries want to have friendship with India. Indians going abroad get a lot of respect and it directly benefits the country in terms of investment, especially in the tourism sector. More people want to come to India and when they come, they will naturally visit Madhya Pradesh as it is a unique state (MP to azab hai, gazab hai)," he said.

Referring to the "double-engine" government in Madhya Pradesh (BJP in power at the Centre and also in the state), the PM said it is working with "double speed".

Highlighting the scale of development taking place under his government, Modi maintained that 90 lakh hectares of land has been brought under irrigation after 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre with a full majority, compared to just 40 lakh hectares during 10 years of the previous government (Congress-led UPA from 2004 to 2014).

He said the next five years will see unprecedented empowerment of "our women and daughters" and added the country will witness a large number of Namo Drone Didis (a name given to women drone pilots).

Modi said 25 crore people in India have come out of poverty during the 10-year-long BJP rule.

"It is Modi's guarantee to mitigate all problems of the poor, mothers and daughters. We take our heritage and development along," he said, adding "The BJP means speed as well as progress ("BJP ka matlab gati bhi aur pragati bhi."

He said to solve the problem of storing foodgrains faced by small farmers due to lack of warehouses, the Centre is working on a Rs 1.25 lakh crore project to build mega storage facilities.

"We are going to build storage facilities across the country that would be able to store more than 700 lakh metric tonnes of grains," Modi said.

On the occasion, the PM inaugurated the world's first Vikramaditya Vedic Clock, based on the Indian panchang or time calculation system, in Ujjain city.