In a scathing verbal attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted the Congress and the Indi Alliance during an election rally held in the Kothi Meena Bazaar of Agra on Thursday, accusing them of systematic plunder.
“Looting is their modus operandi – both in the present life and the afterlife (‘Zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi'),” Modi asserted.
Addressing the crowd, Modi directly targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, referring to his recent rhetoric about using an “X-ray machine” to scrutinise the belongings of ordinary citizens, including their cupboards and lockers.
Modi quipped, “The shahzade’s X-ray machine now seeks to scrutinise the wardrobes of mothers and sisters.”
The prime minister highlighted concerns regarding Congress and its allies’ alleged conspiracy to deprive Other Backward Classes (OBCs) of their reservation rights. He also criticised the Samajwadi Party for purportedly colluding with the Congress in this endeavour, which he claimed betrayed the Yadavs and the OBCs.
Modi further cautioned against the intentions of Congress to expropriate people’s ancestral properties, reiterating his commitment to a prosperous India and seeking the blessings of the electorate for progress and development.
Discussing the Defence Industrial Corridor in Agra, Modi remarked on the unease among individuals accustomed to amassing wealth through ties with international arms dealers, suggesting that the initiative unsettled such vested interests.
He attributed their apprehension to his government’s emphasis on domestic weapon production and self-sufficiency in defence, noting their opposition to these initiatives.
Turning his attention to the Indi Alliance, Modi accused them of prioritising their electoral base over the nation’s welfare. He contrasted this with his government’s commitment to delivering public welfare schemes without bias, framing it as a manifestation of genuine social justice.
Modi reiterated his pledge to ensure equitable access to essential amenities for all citizens, applauding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s efforts to implement these initiatives at the grassroots level.
Accusing the Indi Alliance of engaging in blatant appeasement tactics, Modi pointed to what he described as glaring evidence of such behaviour, including the alleged alignment of Congress with Muslim League’s electoral interests.
He criticised the Congress for purportedly seeking to introduce religious-based reservations, which he argued would undermine existing OBC reservation quotas. Modi cited examples of the Congress government in Karnataka, accusing them of reclassifying Muslim castes as OBCs to the detriment of genuine OBCs.
The prime minister cautioned against the alleged conspiracy of Congress to replicate these tactics in Uttar Pradesh, urging OBCs, Dalits and marginalised communities to discern the perils of this collusion.
He condemned what he deemed as the SP’s betrayal of Yadavs and backward classes for political gain, warning against its agenda to redirect reservation privileges.
Modi praised the Yogi government’s crackdown on land encroachers, highlighting a departure from previous leniency towards such offenders. He cautioned against the potential ramifications of a Congress-SP government, suggesting they would seize even cherished possessions like ‘mangalsutras’ and jewellery from women.
Modi pledged to protect people’s inheritance against excessive taxation and vowed to stand as their watchman against the alleged machinations of the opposition.
The public meeting was attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with several ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party candidates, including SP Singh Baghel and Rajkumar Chahar.
