Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the Congress party, accusing their central leadership — which he said was controlled by one family — of subverting the Constitution by running State governments through “remote control”.
“Their [Congress] leaders had themselves admitted that they used to run State governments by remote control,” said Mr. Modi, addressing a rally in Jalandhar in the run-up to the Assembly election. Mr. Modi said a top Congress leader had recently stated that Capt. Amarinder Singh (former Punjab Chief Minister) did not listen to them and instead worked with the Centre. “This is a clear admission of trying to remote control the State government,” he pointed out, while adding that Capt. Singh worked with the Central government in the true spirit of federalism, but when he refused to take the family’s diktats, they removed him.
Mr. Modi said the Congress had deep animosity towards Punjab and Punjabis and it would never let the State grow. Instead of punishing the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, it had rewarded them with ministerial positions and it was the BJP government that had ensured the culprits were put behind the bars, he said.
He said Punjab needed a government that would work for the security of the country and only the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government could do that.
“Only that government can serve Punjab, which will rise above the partisan considerations. Right now, Punjab needs a ‘double-engine’ government, which will work closely with the Central government to take Punjab out of its problems besides ensuring peace and harmony,” he said.
The Prime Minister said a new India would only be possible when there would be a new Punjab (nawa Punjab). “It will be a Punjab which will preserve its history and tradition, will be free from drugs, and mafia, work for the progress of everyone, which will be free from debt, which will be full of opportunities and where every Dalit and downtrodden will get respect and equal opportunities,” he said.
Appealing to the people of Punjab to give five years to the BJP, he said, it was not the question of power. “You have already made me the Prime Minister of the country twice and I am not there for my personal comforts, I want to serve you and help you realise your dreams,” he said.
Supporters attending a public rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (unseen), ahead of upcoming Punjab Assembly election, in Jalandhar, on Monday. | Photo Credit: PTI
Asserting that the BJP had kept Punjab’s interests always over and above its coalition rights, he pointed out that in 2007, the Shiromani Akali Dal fell short of majority and the government would not have been possible without the support of the BJP. He said the coalition norms demanded that the Deputy Chief Minister be from the BJP. Instead, Badal sahab (Parkash Singh Badal) made his son the Deputy CM and the BJP accepted it in the interest of Punjab.
He promised that the NDA government would work to increase the income of farmers, particularly the small farmers. He listed several measures his government had taken and said 23 lakh farmers from Punjab were regularly getting aid under the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
In a veiled attack on the Aam Aadmi Party, Mr. Modi said, “Some people who have no experience in good governance are making tall and baseless claims in Punjab.” He said while the BJP was seeking votes on its past work and experience at the Centre and in various States, “these people had no experience other than opening liquor shops in the lanes and bylanes of Delhi”.
