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Congress handed over Haryana to 'dalals' and 'damads': PM Modi in Sonipat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a rousing speech in Sonipat, rallying support for the BJP for the Haryana assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Wednesday that support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is growing while the Congress is losing ground in Haryana as the assembly elections inch closer.
“As the day of voting nears, the Congress is losing hope. The support for BJP is increasing day by day in Haryana,” PM Modi told a large gathering in Sonipat.
Modi accused the Congress of handing over Haryana to "dalals" (middlemen) and "damads" (sons-in-law), in a veiled reference to the Gandhi family. While Modi did not explicitly name anyone, his allusion was clear to many in the audience, who erupted in applause.
"Wherever the Congress has put its foot, corruption and 'bhai-bhatijawaad' (nepotism) are inevitable. Congress has given birth to corruption in the government system. The Congress party is the mother of corruption in our country," the prime minister said.
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In a heartwarming moment during the rally, Modi acknowledged a young boy in the crowd who had drawn a picture of the prime minister. Modi asked the boy to hand over the picture to his security team, promising to write him a personal letter.
The prime minister also invoked the legacy of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, saying the empowerment of Dalits has always been closely linked to industrial growth.
"Today, Haryana ranks among the country's top states in the field of agriculture and industry under the BJP government. When industrialisation happens, poor, farmers, Dalits receive most of the benefits," says PM Modi.
Voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5. Votes will be counted on October 8 along with that in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress attacks PM Modi
Ahead of PM Modi's rally in Sonipat, the Congress claimed that Haryana's farmers have completely lost trust in the BJP and asked Prime Minister Modi to spell out his party's vision for ensuring that the state's farmers can make a decent living.
"Haryana's farmers have completely lost trust in the BJP. When the farm protests were called off in 2021, farmers left after being reassured by the non-biological PM and his government that they would meet their demands," Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said.
Ramesh accused the BJP of resorting to force when farmers took to the streets again to demand action on their issues. "Instead of listening to them, the Double Anyay Sarkar (double injustice government) lathi-charged and tear-gassed them," he said, referring to the BJP's governments at both state and central levels.
"What is the BJP's vision to ensure that Haryana's farmers can make a stable, decent living?" he asked.
