Having been criticised by rivals for working in an individualistic and autocratic manner, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday tried to dispel the myth, saying the country as huge as India cannot be run by one brain.
“How can a country of 125 crore people can be governed and go forward by one brainIJ If at all it will grow and move ahead, then that will be by the steps of 125 crore people only. People’s participation is the biggest mantra of development,” said the Gujarat Chief Minister addressing a massive election meeting at Jhumri Tilaiya of Koderma lok Sabha constituency. Opponents of the BJP, especially the Congress, have been levelling charges against Modi for doing divisive politics which patronages exclusion of a section of society to polarise others, though Modi blamed his bête noire Congress for chanting raga of democracy just for the sake of power.
“Dilli ki sarkar’ uses democracy just to gain power. They have given a very narrow and limited meaning to democracy. After being elected we would make partner all the 125 crore in the development of India. If this happens, the country would automatically go forward,” Modi lustily cheered by the crowd, said. Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda alongwith BJP nominee Ravindra Rai was also present on the occasion.
Modi hit out at the Congress even harder and alleged it for sidelining the inclusive ideology of former Prime Minister lal Bahadur Shastri. “Only Shastriji in the Congress had done it. He alone believed the power of common people. When the country was facing worst ever food grain crisis, he gave slogan of ‘jai jawan-jai kisan’. This slogan unified all the farmers of the country and they did their best to fill the empty godowns of the country. This lessened our dependency on foreign countries for food grains. I ask you that the farmers of this country should be given that opportunity again or not,” Modi enquired in his
own style and got responded in a big ‘yes’ by the crowd. Modi could effectively touch the local chords of emotion and development showing concern for the Mica oriented business and workforce facing problems due to ‘apathy’ of ruling government at Centre and State. “Though the faces of this mica city shines like mica still the future of these shining faces is not that bright,” he remarked.
Considering the farming background of the area Modi focused most part of his speech around “pathetic agricultural scenario” prevailing and said that huge disconnect was existing between agricultural machinery and farmers. “People do not even know that departments for agriculture exist here or there is any university for this! Researches done in universities do not reach farmers. There is no coordination and this has to be linked. Farmers do not produce grain to fill their stomach but of the others,” he argued.
Modi on the occasion also pointed about wastage of grains in the want of warehouses and blamed the Congress for not respecting the labour of farmers. “The Delhi Government does not have space to keep the grains which are getting rotted. On the one hand, poor are hungry while on the other grains are rotting out in open. Who is responsible for thatIJ
Are the farmers responsible,” asked the BJP leader and also referred to the Supreme Court direction to distribute food grains.
“They did not even adhere to the suggestion of the Supreme Court and let it rotting. later they sold it to liquor manufacturers at the rate of 80 paise a kg,” he said.
Advocating to change the regime, Modi termed call for his name for the top post and handing over power to the BJP insignificant and termed removal of poverty and listening the voice of poor more important. “We want to hear deprived sections, the last man in the queue and every section of the society. The sections do not have any feeling of freedom even after so long.”
later, addressing another rally at Daltonganj of Palamau constituency he asked voters to vote for ‘Congress Hatao’. He said that the BJP was necessary for good governance and stability and praised BJP candidate from the constituency VD Ram, former DGP of Jharkhand.
The crowd at the ground near Chiyanki air strip crossed all previous records wherein thousands remained dangerously on the NH 75 itself and did not go inside the ground.