Nation welcomes Modi’s guarantee: PM on Viksit Bharat

During his rallies across five poll-bound states in November, Modi framed his government’s election promises as “Modi’s guarantees”, as a counter to Opposition parties

The Bharatiya Janata’s Party (BJP) strong showing in the recent round of assembly elections proves that people trust the government to deliver on its promises and that the gulf between the Centre and beneficiaries of welfare programmes had been bridged, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, as he outlined the impact of his administration’s initiatives across socio-economic groups.

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“People across the country have welcomed ‘Modi ki guarantee waali gaadi’ [Modi’s vehicle of guarantees] with great enthusiasm,” the Prime Minister said in an online address during the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.

“These election results have made it clear that Modi’s guarantee is valid,” he said.

During his rallies across five poll-bound states in November, Modi framed his government’s election promises as “Modi’s guarantees”, as a counter to Opposition parties, especially the Congress, which also labelled their vows as guarantees.

“Crores of families in villages across the country have benefited from some scheme or the other of our government. When they get this benefit, their trust increases… And for this, the person did not need to visit any government office again and again. The mental state of begging is gone. The government identified the beneficiaries and then took steps to extend the benefits to them,” he said.

The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is a nationwide campaign that aims to raise awareness, especially among rural populations, about government schemes. During his speech on Saturday, Modi said the drive had reached 1.25 crore (12.5 million) people in over 40,000 gram panchayats.

Modi also hit out at Opposition parties and said previous governments in the country placed “self-interest” above the service of the people. Elections can’t be won by making false promises or on social media, he said.

“Elections have to be won not on social media, but by going among the people. Before winning elections, it is necessary to win the hearts of the people. It is not right to underestimate the public conscience,” Modi said.

“If those who ran the governments for decades had worked honestly, the guarantees that Modi has to give today would have been fulfilled 50 years ago,” he added.

The Congress hit back at Modi.

“The Prime Minister has this habit of hiding his colossal failures behind some mythical past or imaginary future. The record of joblessness has been broken under him in the present; 80% Indians have to depend on free ration under his failed watch,” said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.

The results in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have bolstered the BJP ahead of next summer’s general elections and have been particularly bruising for the Opposition. The BJP staved off anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, kept alive Rajasthan’s tradition of voting out the incumbent, and stunned the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh by wresting back the tribal-dominated province.

During his December 3 speech at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Modi said the results spelt victory for the party ahead of 2024.

“Some people are already saying our hat-trick in the states is a guarantee of a hat-trick in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024,” he said at the time.

The BJP government is not a condescending benefactor, but rather serves people the way children serve their parents, Modi said on Saturday.

“Every mother, sister and daughter of the country is a VIP for me. Every farmer of the country is a VIP for me. Every young person of the country is a VIP for me.”

He also cautioned women against “divisive politics” seeking to split them and said they are one big “caste” who can take on any challenge together.

“All women should remain together. Nowadays, some people are creating rifts among women... All women have one caste which is so big that they can together take on any challenge,” he said.