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Modi gifts AK rifle unit to Amethi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stormed into Amethi with a slew of projects for Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stormed into Amethi with a slew of projects for Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency.
Announcing the launch of a joint venture between India and Russia for the manufacture of AK 203 Kalashnikov assault rifles in Amethi’s Ordinance factory, Modi said Amethi was the perfect example of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s policy of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’.
“Now, Amethi will not be known for a famous family but for AK 203, ‘Made in Amethi’. These rifles will help our jawans in encounters with Naxals and terrorists,” he said and added that those who cheated Amethi also ignored the country’s defence needs.
The PM alleged that the Rafale deal was bitterly opposed by the Congress for the sake of commission and added that the first Rafale jet would be seen flying on Indian skies soon.
“Despite clean chits, they opposed the Rafale deal due to their own vested interests. But Rafale jets will fly soon,” the PM said as defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman applauded.
Sitharam also read out a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing the joint venture with India.
“AK 203 is the latest derivative of the famous AK 47 assault rifles which will help in arming the security forces besides giving Amethi a new identity,” Modi said.
Beginning his address with ‘Jai Ram ji ki’ (a common way to greet each other in rural India) after making people chant slogans hailing the country and the security forces, Modi said the Congress leadership lied on all matters, including those of national security.
“Even demands for bullet proof jackets for our security forces were ignored. It is only now that the BJP government has begun procuring these jackets,” he said.
Virtually pitching union textile minister Smriti Irani as the BJP candidate from Amethi in 2019, Modi said: “We lost Amethi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls but won your hearts. Smriti ji has continuously worked with you and for you.”
Amid accusations by the Congress of whitewashing its slogans hailing Rahul Gandhi as future PM, the BJP peppered the Congress bastion with hoardings and other publicity material announcing in local rural dialect, “Abki baar, Amethi hamaar (Amethi is ours this time)”.
Modi also raised the issue of Samrat Cycle land which, he alleged, was taken from farmers to set up a bicycle manufacturing unit which never happened.
Modi also unveiled projects including steel processing unit worth ₹9,200 crore and various upgradation and repair projects.
Upgradation of Amethi bus station and reconstruction of depot workshop worth ₹496.80 crore, construction of rest houses and shops at Amethi bus station worth ₹139 crore and construction of main building of primary health centre worth ₹167 crore were some of the other projects that were launched on the occasion.
