Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a possible reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's ‘union of States’ remark, said on Saturday that those who do not consider India as one nation, have come to Uttarakhand to destroy the state.
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“India is one, this country is one. This is why a youngster from the hills of Uttarakhand serves the nation in Kerala as well. But the Congress people say that India is not a nation. People who insult nationalism, people who insult our martyrs, they have come here to destroy the state,” PM Modi said at an election rally in hill state's Rudrapur.
Unlike Congress, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faith in Uttarakhand, he further said. “This is the land of our sages, and we have promised in our manifesto that we will do everything to keep this holy land safe.” PM Modi added.
{{/usCountry}}Unlike Congress, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faith in Uttarakhand, he further said. “This is the land of our sages, and we have promised in our manifesto that we will do everything to keep this holy land safe.” PM Modi added.
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The Prime Minister's remarks came on the final day of campaigning for the state's assembly elections, slated to take place in a single phase, on February 14. The counting of votes for all 70 assembly seats will be done on March 10.
Gandhi, meanwhile, made the ‘union of states’ comment while speaking in Lok Sabha on February 2. Accusing the BJP-led Union government of running India like a kingdom, he said, “India is described in the Indian Constitution as a union of states and not as a nation. One cannot rule over the people of a state in India. Different languages and cultures cannot be suppressed.”
While the speech, predictably, came under fire from central ministers and BJP leaders, the former Congress president also received support from several quarters, including from Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, the chief of grand old party's ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).