In his first campaign meeting after the initiation of the election process in Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress of backing the ‘urban Maoists.’
Addressing a campaign meeting in Jagdalpur, Mr. Modi targeted the ‘urban Maoists’ for their lifestyle and the Congress for “defending” them.
Neat and clean
“These urban Maoists reside in cities. They look neat and clean. They hang around with big people. Their kids study abroad and travel in expensive cars but they use remote system to spoil the lives of our tribal children,” the Prime Minister said.
He then criticised the Congress for supporting these ‘urban Maoists.’
“You [the Congress] speak for urban Maoists. If we initiate legal action against them [the urban Maoists], you are the one to oppose it… and then come here to talk about Naxalism,” Mr. Modi said.
“I want to ask the Congress why it supports the urban Maoists when the government takes action against them and come to Bastar and speak against Naxalism,” he said. He asked the voters to boycott “such people.
“Will you forgive such people? Those who destroy your lives…will you forgive [them] and let them enter Chhattisgarh? Are we here to change the future of Bastar or not…” he asked.
“This is the reason why you should vote for the lotus. I’m sure no other party will be able to enter Bastar but if anyone enters — even by mistake in some corner of the State — then the dreams of Bastar will be in flames,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Modi said no other Prime Minister visited Bastar as often as he did and claimed that his party and Chief Minister Raman Singh, who shared the dais, are working hard “to eradicate unemployment, poverty and hunger from the region.”
Congress speaks of Dalits, deprived sections and tribals but the party considers them as vote banks and not as human beings, he said.
“Do you want a government which works or one which stops development works,” he said.
Mr. Modi said his government has never discriminated among people. “Previous governments did that. Our government works for development of all,” he said.
Elections on Nov. 12
The first phase of polling will be held in partly Maoist-dominated districts of south Chhattisgarh on November 12. Eighteen constituencies — of which 12 are located in Maoist-dominated Bastar Division — will vote on the day. The remaining 72 constituencies will go to the polls on November 20 and the votes will be counted on December 11.
