In poll-bound MP, Modi targets opposition over poll guarantees; claims they are deceptive

Prime Minister Narendra Modi went after the opposition parties, including the Congress, in a big way for their poll guarantees during a public meeting in Shahdol of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, and urged people to recognize the wrong intentions and game of deception in the name of guarantees.

Modi said the parties will ensure the progress of their own families by giving false guarantees, but the common people would be left behind. He asked the people to be cautious about the guarantees given by the Congress and other political parties. “Congress jaise dalon ki guarantee matlab niyat mei khot aur gareebon pe chot (guarantees by parties like Congress would mean wrong intentions and assault on poor people),” the PM said.

During a programme at Lalpur in Shahdol, the PM launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission that will cover 278 affected districts in 17 states, with a focus on awareness building and universal screening of seven crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas. Modi also launched the distribution of one crore digital Ayushman Cards on the occasion.

The programme, which was originally scheduled for June 27 but deferred due to a rain alert, also marked the conclusion of the seven-day Rani Durgavati Gaurav Yatra of the BJP. The PM announced that a commemorative silver coin and a stamp will be released on the occasion of the 500th birth anniversary of the tribal queen in October this year. Earlier, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said a grand memorial of Rani Durgavati will be built in Jabalpur to honour the queen.

The audience at the programme mainly consisted of tribal people.

The prime minister later attended a ‘khaat panchayat’ (meeting on a cot) in the nearby Pakaria village where he interacted with selected women members of self-help groups, gram sabha members, PESA committee members and village-level football club members. He also shared traditional tribal food with the villagers on the occasion.

While there were some government events linked to the programme, political watchers felt that it was another important step taken by the ruling BJP to keep the tribal voters – who constitute 22 per cent of the population – in good humour. There are 47 tribal reserved seats (out of the total 230) in the state and tribal voters are considered to have a decisive influence on additional 80-odd seats.

Attack on opposition

“Beware of those giving false guarantees. Those who have no guarantee of themselves are coming to you with newer schemes of guarantees. Recognize the wrong intention hidden in the guarantees; understand the game of deception in the name of false guarantees,” Modi said.

He added, “When they (such parties) give a guarantee of free power, it would mean that power tariffs are to be hiked, when they give a guarantee of free transport, it means traffic system will be destroyed; when they give guarantee to increase pension, it will mean employees of those states will not get salaries on time; when they give a guarantee of cheap fuel, it would mean they are trying to take away money from your pockets by increasing taxes and when they guarantee to increase jobs, it will mean that they will bring policies to destroy industries and trade.”

He specifically targeted Congress—the main opposition and poll contender in Madhya Pradesh—and highlighted the BJP's achievements. “They could not give guarantee of adequate food to poor in 70 years, we are giving free ration to 80 crore people; they could not give guarantee to rid poor of expensive medical treatment in 70 years, we are providing 50 crore people health insurance through Ayushman scheme; they could not guarantee women freedom from smoke in 70 years, we have given 10 crore women the guarantee to smoke-free lives through Ujjwala scheme; they could not give a guarantee of self-reliance to poor in 70 years, we have given livelihood opportunities with honour to 8.5 crore people through Mudra scheme.”

Targetting the opposition in the context of their unity moves, Modi said when opposition parties give guarantees, it means there was something wrong somewhere. “Those who are claiming unity now, statements given by them earlier are going viral on social media where they were attacking each other viciously. This means there is even no guarantee of opposition unity. The family-oriented parties have always worked for the betterment of own families and they cannot give a guarantee for progress of common people.”

The PM said, “Those who are out on bail; those who are sentenced for scams are seen on the same platform, this means there is no guarantee for corruption-free rule. They unanimously give statements against the country; hold meetings with anti-national forces, this means they can give no guarantee of terrorism-free country.”

Earlier in the day, reacting to the visit of PM Modi to tribal-dominated Shahdol, state Congress chief Kamal Nath said the PM should seek answers from the chief minister (Chouhan) as to why Madhya Pradesh was number one in excesses against tribal people and why the condition of tribal was so poor. He further said the CM constantly speaks lies and now is also facilitating the central leadership of the BJP to speak lies.