Reiterating his commitment to continue the fight against black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said a developed Uttar Pradesh will help in eradicating poverty and illiteracy from India. Taking a dig at Opposition parties, Modi said some are busy saving money, others are trying to prop up their scions and yet others are busy with infighting in their parivar, while only the BJP is keen to save UP.
“Have you ever seen the SP and BSP togetherIJ If the SP says it is sunrise, the BSP will say it is sunset. After so many years both have come together on an issue and are saying remove Modi. I say remove black money. They say remove Modi, I say remove corruption. You decide what we want to remove — Modi or corruption,” said Modi on Monday at the Maha Parivartan rally. It was his first interface with the public after Saturday’s televised address on the effects of demonetisation.
“These Opposition parties have become irrelevant in the present post-demonetisation scenario. I promise that I will work against corruption and black money with more vigour,” he said and added that all Opposition parties were united in opposing Modi because he “had started a campaign against black money.”
In his over 50-minute-long speech which was laced with one liners, Modi stressed on the development of UP and took a swipe at the Congress saying, “There are some parties which are nowhere in the picture. There is one party which has been trying in vain for the last 15 years to establish the son.”
“There is another party whose worry is where to keep money. It is looking for banks far and wide,” the PM said in an apparent dig at the BSP, which has come under the scanner for alleged huge bank deposits post the note ban.
“There is this third party that is using all its strength to focus on the family’s fate,” he said referring to the feud in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s clan.
“The people of UP have to decide, if a party whose leaders are busy saving their money will be able to save UP. Or the party which is completely occupied in family (infighting) will be able to save UP,” he added.
Hitting out at the SP Government, he said the Centre has given Rs 2.5 lakh crore but the UP Government failed to distribute it among farmers. “UP has failed to purchase paddy and pulses from the farmers while the sugarcane farmers are facing severe problems. Instead of working for the welfare of people, the Samajwadi Party Government is doing politics and is only instigating farmers against the Centre,” he alleged.
Modi assured the people that the BJP Government in UP would end goonda raj and give a clean Government just like Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh.
Talking about how a developed UP could help in making India strong, Modi said, “If you want to remove illiteracy and poverty from India; first remove them from UP and other things will follow suit.”
Asking people to give preference to development rather than caste Modi said India cannot develop if UP lags behind in all development indicators. “For the BJP, election in UP is about taking responsibility to remove illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. It is unfortunate that development is not priority for the rulers in UP, their only mantra is corruption and goonda raj. This should change,” he said.
He criticised Mayawati for raising objections to naming a mobile app BHIM. “Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a visionary and financial wizard. If we have launched an App in his name why should others object to it,” he asked without taking Mayawati’s name. “I wish every household would have this App so that they can remember the contribution of this great leader,” he said.
Thanking people for giving BJP enormous support in the 2014 lok Sabha polls leading to the formation of a majority Government at the Centre after 30 years, the Prime Minister said, “I want to root out unemployment and poverty from the country. Till you all give me support like you did in 2014 again in the coming Assembly polls its fulfillment is hard.”
Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “The BJP Government in UP will be a ghar vapsi (return) of susahan (good governance) in the State.”
“Corruption and law and order are a major problem for the people of this State. This crowd is a clear indication that people want a change,” he said.
Earlier, while looking at the huge multitude of people that had descended on the Rama Bai Ambedkar Rally Sthal which was choc-a-bloc with party workers, Modi said, “I have never addressed such a big crowd …never before have I seen such a huge rally, not even during my 2014 election campaign.
Modi said at 10 am when he was in a meeting he was shown photos of the crowd by a ministerial colleague from UP. “I was amazed. I asked whether I was late. This shows you are here since morning and by 10 am you filled this huge ground,” the PM said as the crowd chanted “Modi, Modi”.
In his speech the Prime Minister even said if Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh were watching this meeting on TV they would be happy to see such crowd.