UP Polls: Have found solution to stray cattle menace, plan after March 10, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked people not to let the opposition “that is gasping for survival” regain breath by coming to power
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked people not to let the opposition “that is gasping for survival” regain breath by coming to power.
Addressing a rally in Bahraich, Modi said he had found a solution to the issue of ‘chutta jaanvar (stray cattle)’ and added that the plan would be rolled out after March 10 results, if the BJP was voted back to power in Uttar Pradesh.
“UP ke kisanon ko chutta jaanvaron se ho rahi dikkaton ko hum gambhirta se le rahe hain (we are taking the problems faced by farmers due to stray cattle seriously),” Modi said.
“Main aapki chinta ko poori tarah samajhta hoon. Main aapko batana chahta hoon ki main raasta khoj karke laaya hoon doston (I understand your worries and I have found a way out),” he said.
“On March 10, after the model code of conduct ends and a new government is formed, we will implement all those new schemes under Yogi ji’s leadership,” he said.
The region where Modi made the speech is grappling with the issue of ‘chutta jaanvar’ and chief minister Yogi Adityanath, during his election campaigns in eastern UP, has been talking of how his government had set up shelters for strays.
On coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government banned illegal cattle slaughter, making it punishable. Since then, many farmers have long been complaining of crop losses due to the ‘chutta jaanvar’.
In previous rallies, Modi has talked of launching schemes to enable farmers generate wealth from ‘gobar (cow dung)’ while the Congress’s UP manifesto mentions purchasing cow dung at ₹2 per kg on being voted to power. The SP, too, has been flagging the issue of stray animals.
However, Modi said, “these days they (political opponents) are making tall claims on farmers’ welfare but added that Bahraich knows the reality.”
Attacking the opposition, the PM said: “Since 2014 I have seen the manner of the kaamkaaj (work), karobaar (business) and karnaamey (deeds) of these dynasts from up close.” He added that the opposition was looking at the UP polls as their last shot at political revival.
“Ye jo samajh nahi rahey hain, abhi bhi aakhri saans le rahe hain aur badle ka bhaav le ke baithe hain, unko dubara khadey nahi hone dena hai. Uttar Pradesh main ab darr ka mahaul khatam ho raha hai. Darr unko lag raha hai. Jo dashakon se logon ko daratey rehte thaiy, aaj darr ke maarey kaanp rahey hain (These people who aren’t listening, are still taking their last breath and are full of revenge. Don’t let them stand up on their feet again. Fear is now giving way and those who were feared earlier are now trembling with fear),” he said.
Modi said he was being targeted as he had closed all avenues for middlemen who ate up resources meant for the poor.
“There was a Prime Minister who had once remarked that only 15 paise from each rupee reached the intended beneficiaries. Now, through Jan Dhan accounts that my government opened for the poor, the entire 100 paise of a rupee reaches the intended beneficiaries. Our decision to link mobiles with Aadhaar has strengthened security further. That means my government has closed the doors on middlemen who ate up your resources. Naturally, they are after me. My only fault is that I have ended ‘katki (commission)’,” he said.
He also spoke of the much-delayed Saryu Nahar irrigation project that he inaugurated recently.
“This project would have helped 30 lakh farmers spread across 9 districts between Bahraich and Gorakhpur but that didn’t happen until we arrived,” Modi said.
He also raised the issue of the recent conviction of terrorists in the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts case and accused his political opponents of not supporting the court’s decision on the issue due to vote bank concerns.
