At Chandigarh rally, Modi accuses Cong of blocking development

Ruchika M. Khanna and Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 11

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday failed to address any of the concerns of Punjab, Haryana or Chandigarh during his maiden visit to the city after assuming office. Instead, he mounted a sharp attack on the Congress, blaming its “40 MPs for stalling” the development of the country.

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The Prime Minister inaugurated the International Terminal of Chandigarh airport, of which the name has not yet been decided amidst a controversy between Punjab and Haryana. He also presided over the 34^th convocation of the PGIMER, where he expressed concern regarding the brain drain among the medical fraternity.

He then proceeded for the Sector 25 Rally Ground here to preside over the function of handing over keys of the newly constructed houses for economically weaker sections in Chandigarh.  

At the rally, where he was received by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Modi failed to make any announcement for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The two states as well the Chandigarh Administration were expecting the Prime Minister to announce some economic package and address concerns over the agrarian crisis in the region. Punjab Chief Minister Badal did prod him to address the issue of rural agrarian crisis and asked the Prime Minister to personally take initiative and address the issue.

Though Modi did mention that he believed in Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, and after settling the one rank, one pension issue, he would consider doing something for the farmers. However, he made no announcement other than saying that he had met some farm scientists yesterday and was updated regarding extracting ethanol from maize, which could help Punjab farmers.

The only hope he gave to farmers and CM Badal was that the airport could include a cargo terminal with all state-of-art facilities for storing and exporting of agriculture produce in the agrarian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, thus helping in the economic growth.

Modi said where all others had failed, he had managed to implement the OROP.  “It took us some time as we had to work out the costs for its implementation. We thought it would take Rs 500 crore, but it has actually worked out to be Rs 10,000 crore. The people of Punjab and Haryana have been serving the country by joining the Army, and this initiative will help them,” he said. “But don’t thank me or the government, instead thank the common people of the country for helping the government make it possible,” he added.

The Prime Minister was critical of the Congress for disrupting Parliament and not letting key legislations pass. Taking potshots at the party, he said 40 MPs are “conspiring” to block the development of the country against the wishes of the 400 MPs. “Is it fair? So, we have decided that if issues cannot be decided in Parliament, we will take them to the Jan Sabha and make the MPs answerable to the public,” he said.

Known for harping on development issues, Modi asked the Chandigarh Administration to get out of the time warp by taking up issues like Lal Dora expansion, and instead work on making Chandigarh a smart city.