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‘No fake promises’: PM targets Congress in MP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned people in Madhya Pradesh to be wary of false guarantees from "dynastic parties" and criticized opposition parties attempting to form a united front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He highlighted the Congress party's promises, suggesting they have questionable intent and a propensity to hurt the poor. Modi also touted his government's achievements, including free ration distribution, free healthcare, and loans for self-employment. He launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission and emphasized his government's focus on tribal development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned the people of Madhya Pradesh to “beware of false guarantees” of “dynastic parties”, and attacked opposition parties attempting to cobble up a united front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In a direct attack at the Congress, the PM, addressing a public meeting in MP’s Shahdol, said, “You have to be careful of those who give false guarantees. The only surmise that one can draw from the Congress’s poll guarantees is — niyat mein khot aur gareeb par chot (questionable intent and a propensity to hurt the poor).”
Madhya Pradesh is set to go to polls later this year.
Recognise the fraud in the name of false guarantees, the PM said. “When they give guarantee of free electricity, it means they are going to increase electricity prices. When free travel is guaranteed, it means that the traffic system is going to be ruined,” he said.
While the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi government provides free electricity up to a certain threshold to consumers, the Congress government in Karnataka is set to roll out the Gruha Jyothi scheme, which promises similar benefits to power consumers.
“When the pension is guaranteed to be increased, it means that the employees in that state will not even get their salaries on time. When they guarantee cheap petrol, it means that they are preparing to withdraw money from your pocket by increasing taxes. When they guarantee employment, it means that they will come up with a policy to destroy the industry,” he said.
Hitting back, spokesperson of the MP Congress Committee KK Mishra said, “The PM is lying blatantly. BJP leaders are copying the campaign of Congress and now started giving guarantee, but he has lost all the trust. Now, nobody will trust him and other BJP leaders.”
Highlighting his own government’s achievements, Modi said, “Previous governments could not guarantee food for the poor in the past 70 years. We are giving free ration to more than 800 million people under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.”
The previous governments didn’t pay attention to the health of the poor but the BJP government has given a guarantee of free treatment under Ayushman Yojana to 500 million beneficiaries, he said.
Modi said his government has given a guarantee of smoke-free cooking to 100 million women under the Ujjawala scheme, and a loan for self-employment under Mudra Yojana to 80 million beneficiaries, but the previous governments didn’t do anything for people.
Launching the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission 2047 by unveiling a portal and releasing a guideline for the management of the disease and different modules, the PM said, “In the past 70 years, there was no concern about sickle cell anaemia. No concrete plan was made to deal with it.”
Blaming the alleged lack of attention to the disease on “indifference towards the tribal society”, the PM said, “Most of the people affected by this were from tribal society… But our government has taken the initiative to deal with this biggest challenge of the tribal society. For us tribal society is not just a government figure. It is an emotional issue as well as sensitive issue.”
In a bid to reach out to tribals, who form 22% of the state’s population, the PM said Rani Durgavati’s, a queen of the Gondwana kingdom, 500th birth anniversary will be celebrated across India and a postal stamp will be released.
Listing the BJP-led government’s efforts for the tribal community, the PM said, “The tribal people used to face problems in education due to a language barrier. But under the new education policy, we are giving importance to regional languages so that everyone gets an equal opportunity. 400 Eklavya schools have been opened. In MP only, 24,000 students are studying at these schools.”
“We have made a separate ministry for the development of tribals. We gave forest rights and also invoked PESA [Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas)] Act. We are celebrating great freedom fighter Birsa Munda as Janjati Gaurav Diwas,” he said.
Reacting to the PM’s statement, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Ministry of Tribal Affairs was certainly not created by this man (PM Modi) who maintains a safe distance from facts and truth.”
Further targeting the Opposition, the PM said that there is “no guarantee of opposition unity”.
“They are claiming of coming together. Their old statements are going viral on social media, because earlier they were cursing each other.”
Modi was referring to a conclave of 15 opposition parties in Patna on June 23, where leaders of parties including Congress, JD(U), NCP, RJD and AAP met to strategise ahead of the 2024 polls.
“Dynastic parties work only for the welfare of their families. They do not have the guarantee of taking forward the family of the common people of the country,” he said.
In a veiled reference to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, Modi said, “Those who are roaming outside on bail, those who are serving sentences on the charges of scams are seen on one stage. That is why they can’t give guarantee of corruption free governance.”
The RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister is out on bail on medical grounds in six cases relating to the fodder scam.
“They are making statements against the country in one voice. They are holding meetings with anti-national elements. That is why there will be no guarantee of a terrorism-free India,” Modi said.
At the event, the PM distributed Sickle Cell colour-coded counselling cards to a few beneficiaries. He also handed over Ayushman cards and PVC Ayushman Bharat cards physically to some beneficiaries.
He said Ayushman Card is a guarantee of ₹5 lakh treatment in hospitals. “It is the guarantee of Modi,” he added.
