Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that while his government empowers people and creates opportunities for them, all that the opposition wants is ‘Modi Hatao (Remove Modi)’ and snatch people’s wealth.
Modi’s remarks come at a time when Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have aimed their guns at Congress and the rest of the parties of the opposition bloc INDIA over issues such as the proposed wealth distribution, caste census, and religion-based reservations.
In an interview with Hindustan Times in the midst of ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Modi also said that considering the BJP-led government’s work over the past 10 years, the BJP did not need to dole out any populist measures ahead of the elections.
India is currently going through seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. The first phase was on April 19. The next phase of polling will be held on Monday (May 13). The final phase will be held on June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4. The results are expected on the same day.
‘Our focus is on empowering people & creating opportunities’
Drawing the contrast between his party’s government and the opposition, Modi said that while all that the opposition wants is to remove Modi and bring faith-based reservation, his government has been focussed on empowering people and creating opportunities for them.
“In these 10 years, we’ve shown the world that true progress is about empowering every citizen and giving them the tools they need to succeed. Our focus has been on empowering the poor, creating opportunities for them to thrive…Our policies are centered around uplifting the poor, ensuring that they’re at the heart of everything we do. In fact, in the last 10 years, 25 crore people have come out of poverty in India,” said Modi.
Modi further lashed out at Congress for the wealth redistribution agenda floated by party leader Rahul Gandhi.
“The Opposition’s agenda is either to snatch people’s wealth or ensure faith-based reservations by denying the rights of SC, ST and OBC communities. All they want is ‘Modi Hatao’. People will not fall for such regressive and communal politics,” said Modi.
‘Making India developed by 2047’
Modi said that the BJP is not contesting this election with just the next five years in mind. He said that the party’s approach is to make India a developed country by 2047.
“Today, we’ve built a strong economy that will serve as the base for India’s next 25 years. In fact, our Sankalp Patra [manifesto] isn’t just about the next five years. It’s about making long-lasting changes and outlining the roadmap that will lead to a Viksit Bharat by 2047,” said Modi to HT.
Speaking about the economy under his 10-year tenure so far, Modi told the newspaper that his government carried out social welfare schemes without drowning the country in financial burden.
Modi said, “We’ve made sure that 80 crore people have access to free ration, more than 50 crore people have their own bank accounts, 11 crore toilets are built and 60 crore people have access to quality health care without shouldering the immense financial burden.”
‘Congress’ track record on vote bank politics is in public’
Continuing the charge against Congress, Modi said the party’s track record on vote bank politics is in public.
Referring to party leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks on inheritance tax and his classifications of Indians in racist words, Modi said that as such people are close to the Congress leadership, the party’s approach “at inheritance tax or appearance of Indians using a divisive and racist lens will be dangerous for the country”.
Modi further drew a contrast between the confiscation of cash by investigation agencies allegedly from the properties of people associated with the opposition and the Congress party’s talk of wealth redistribution.
“Look at their hypocrisy. On the one hand, the Congress’s prince is talking about X-raying ordinary people’s property, and on the other, trucks full of cash are being recovered from people close to their party. These issues are connected to the elections and I have to raise them,” said Modi.
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