×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Modi makes a pro-poor pitch

No talk of land bill at Mathura rally
Last Updated 25 May 2015, 20:46 IST

Dispelling the Opposition’s claims of being pro-corporate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday recounted corruption-free governance and strong accent on poverty eradication as the twin achievements of his one-year-old government.

Addressing a massive rally at the birthplace of BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, Modi listed the Jan Dhan Yojana, soil health card, revival of sick fertiliser units, pension and insurance schemes for the poor as the major achievements. Launching a sharp attack on the Opposition, the prime minister said that he had succeeded in breaking the infamous power circle that ruled Delhi through an “unholy” nexus with government officials.

“Have you heard of any scam in the past one year? I have put an end to the nepotism that thrived in the capital. I have stopped the loot by ‘bhai-bhatija, netaji ka damaad, netaji ka beta’. I have fulfilled my promise of not being the pradhan mantri but the pradhan sentry of the government treasury,” Modi told a 60,000-strong crowd here.


This was the first of the BJP’s 200 rallies planned to mark the first anniversary of the NDA government. While attacking the previous regime, Modi said another year of UPA rule would have “sunk” the country. But he did not name the Congress or any of its leaders.
A year in the government, however, appears to have distanced Modi from the crowd and the ease with which he swung it in his favour.

Modi said: “Earlier, the government was run by remote control and everyday a scam or corruption case was coming out. Have you heard about any scams, any remote control in the last year?... These people (corrupt) are a worried lot today. I had not promised ‘acche din’ to them. We will run the country in a way that there will be more ‘bure din’ for them and their troubles will increase. Your money cannot be looted by anyone. Some of them have fallen on bad times. It is but natural for them to shout.”

Modi’s hour-long speech focused mostly on pro-poor schemes, apparently to dispel the pro-corporate charge levelled by the Opposition led by the Congress.

Rahul’s “suit-boot ki sarkar” jibe appears to have hit Modi hard. His paeans to eradicate poverty were reminiscent of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s “garibi hatao” slogan.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 25 May 2015, 20:46 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT