Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to task over his controversial "UP, Bihar ke bhaiye" comment and also targeted Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying the "family from Delhi was clapping" on stage when this divisive remark was made.
“The entire country has heard what the Congress Chief Minister said. The family from Delhi is his maalik (boss). That maalik was standing next to him and clapping," PM Modi said at a BJP poll rally at Fazilka in Punjab.
The Prime Minister said that Guru Gobind Singh, the saviour of India, was born in Patna Sahib in Bihar. "Will the Congress stop people from Bihar coming to Punjab" adding Guru Ravidas was born in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Congress was saying it will not allow bhaiyas from UP to come to Punjab."
PM Modi said the people of Punjab needed a double-engine government which can only be provided by the BJP alliance in the state and NDA government at the centre.
“If the NDA government was formed in Punjab it would bring an end to the ‘mafia raj'. The NDA would give a fast-moving transparent dispensation if it returned to power. Give us five years to serve you then see how the state progresses," he remarked.
PM Modi elaborated that in whichever state a BJP government was formed, Congress got wiped out forever. And this was going to happen in Punjab too.
He lamented that Punjab was a land of opportunities but the industry was moving to other states due to the wrong policies of the Congress government. Businessmen had to grease the palms of corrupt officers and the mafia to run their enterprises.
Helping the poor was the top priority of the BJP and this was reflected in the free foodgrains provided to them during the Covid wave and the free vaccination shots given to everyone.
If the BJP government was formed in Punjab, the youth would not need to go abroad for jobs as infrastructure would be developed in the state, he pointed out.
Talking about Ayushman Bharat Yojna, Modi disclosed that 11 lakh Punjabis took benefit of the scheme and got themselves treated for various ailments in hospitals free of cost. A total of 50 crore people in the country got themselves treated under the scheme.
The Prime Minister spoke about the need to uplift the farmers. "They will be given proper price for their produce, farm inputs will be subsidised and crop diversification will be given impetus," he said. Minimum support price would be announced for fruits and vegetables and many other crops which were not being covered by the MSP at present, he said.
Modi reminded people of the 1984 riots when Sikhs were massacred." I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at that time. Not a single Sikh was harmed in Gujarat," he maintained.
He lambasted AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal for making false promises to eradicate drugs in Punjab. "Go to Delhi and you will see liquor shops having being opened at every nook and corner," the prime minister pointed out.
He said no other party could give people safety and security except the NDA. Enemies of the country were trying to spread unrest in Punjab. Tiffin bombs and RDX was being recovered. Hence the people had to be vigilant and wise before making a choice to form the next government.
Also read: PM Modi launches scathing attack on Congress & AAP at poll rally in Pathankot
