Follow Us
Dinesh Manhotra & Amit Khajuria
Tribune News Service
Rakhbarotian (Vijaypur), Feb 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of befooling and cheating farmers in the name of loan waivers, saying “the party’s intention is always dubious” in solving the problems of the farming community.
Virtually launching the election campaign for the coming Lok Sabha polls from the Vijaypur area of Samba district after inaugurating various developmental projects for J&K, the PM, in his 36-minute speech, minced no words in attacking the arch-rival while highlighting the achievements of his own government. He said, “The ‘Vijay yatra’ will be starting from Vijaypur.”
“The Congress only remembered farmers during the time of elections but after getting votes, the party shamelessly abandoned the farming community,” the PM said, while recalling the Congress’s promise of ‘farm loan waiver’ on the eve of the 2008 Lok Sabha elections.
As the Congress won the Assembly elections in three important states of Hindi heartland in December last year in the name of farmers, the PM made it a point to counter the opposition’s campaign in favour of the farming community.
“Ten years ago, the Congress had promised loan waivers to the farmers. At that time, the outstanding debt was Rs 6-lakh crore. But after attaining power, they only waived debts worth Rs 52,000 crore. They befooled the farmers,” he recalled, adding, “The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, in its investigation, had found a scandal in the farm loan waiver. Loans of undeserving people were waived, fattening the pockets of middlemen.”
Realizing that there is strong anger among the people of the Jammu region against former BJP ministers in the previous government, Modi admitted that the Centre could not pursue various projects due to coalition compulsion. He, however, assured to accelerate developmental activities in J&K to ensure balanced and equitable development.
“The recent panchayat elections in J&K were a victory of democracy as 70 per cent people had exercised their right to franchise,” he said and reiterated his government’s commitment to strengthen democratic institutions in the state.
Pointing out that enhancement in defence Budget was aimed at strengthening the security of the country, the PM asserted that terrorism in J&K would be dealt with an iron hand.
Intensifying his tirade against the Congress for ‘cheating’ every section of the society, Modi said while the previous government had tried to hoodwink one rank one pension with a grant of Rs 500 crore, we had allotted Rs 35,000 crore.
He launched his attack on his arch-rival on the Kartarpur issue. “The previous governments had the tendency to ignore the necessities and sentiments of the country. Take the Kartarpur corridor for instance. Had they paid attention, then the land of Guru Nanak Dev would have been a part of India,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh skipped the rally.
"Ten years ago, the Congress had promised loan waivers to the farmers. At that time, the outstanding debt was Rs 6-lakh crore. But after attaining power, they only waived debts worth Rs 52,000 crore. They befooled the farmers. Loans of undeserving people were waived, fattening the pockets of middlemen." — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
Warns Pakistan
As the PM addressed the rally near the International Border, he made it a point to give a warning to Pakistan. Pointing a finger towards Pakistan, Modi said: “Our forces are giving a befitting reply to the enemy.” He said 14,000 bunkers had been built along the border.
Strikes emotional chord
The PM tried to strike an emotional chord with the people of the Jammu region by starting his speech in Dogri. He narrated some couplets of a famous Dogri song to hail the Dogra warriors. Modi also sought the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi and Maa Bawe Wali.
3
5