Congress creates fear psychosis, Pak’s nuke bomb not of good quality: PM Modi
PM Modi said the country has decided that Congress will not get the status of Opposition party as their numbers will reduce to below 50 on June 4
Days after Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said that India should engage in dialogue with Pakistan as it possesses an atom bomb, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the party only creates fear psychosis in the minds of people using the nuclear bomb threat, but people know that Pakistan’s nuclear bomb is not of good quality.
Speaking at an election rally in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, Modi said, “They (Congress) create fear psychosis in the minds of Indians by reiterating Pakistan is a nuclear power. Due to Congress’ weak mindset, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have struggled for decades. India will never forget the times when India used to have frequent terrorist attacks and the Congress leaders used to sit with the perpetrators of terrorism. They would say ‘Be careful… Pakistan has an atom bomb… these “mare pade log” (people about to die) are trying to kill the mindset of the country. The Congress has always had that mindset. After the 26/11 attacks, Congress and the INDI alliance didn’t have any inquiry on the attacks for fear of upsetting their vote bank. Congress rather used to have meetings with terrorists.” Follow full coverage of the Lok Sabha elections here.
Modi said the condition of Pakistan is such that they can’t even handle the bomb (nuclear). “They are now out to sell it … so that they find someone to buy it… but people know that it’s not of good quality. Hence, it’s not being sold,” he said.
Giving credit to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the nuclear test at Pokhran on May 11 in 1998, Modi said, “Indians across the entire world had taken pride in it and for the first time after independence, Indians abroad were seen with respect. But the Congress’s mindset on the other hand is to scare the country,” he said.
In an interview with YouTube channel Chill Pill, posted on April 15, Aiyar said, “India should give respect to Pakistan as it has an atom bomb. If we don’t give them respect, they will think of using an atom bomb against India.”
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The Congress distanced itself from Aiyar’s statements, with party spokesperson Pawan Khera saying, “INC and indeed the entire nation recalls with pride that in December 1971 Pakistan was broken and Bangladesh emerged thanks to Indira Gandhi’s decisive and determined leadership and the valour of our armed forces.”
Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement that Modi would not return as PM on June 4, Modi said Congress will be restricted to below 50 in the Lok Sabha election. “The prince of Congress is shooting statements every day. You see his speeches of 2014, 2019 and 2024 elections. He keeps reading the same script. Congress needs one-tenth of total Lok Sabha seats to be the Opposition party. But the country has decided that Congress will not get the status of Opposition party as their numbers will reduce to below 50 on June 4,” said Modi, adding that this time NDA would cross 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls.
Launching further attacks on Congress, Modi said President Droupadi Murmu visited Ram temple in Ayodhya a few days ago and offered prayers there. “One day after her visit, one of the biggest leaders of the Congress party said we will do purification of Ram temple with Gangajal. Do such people have the right to be in Indian politics?” he asked.
Attacking the Biju Janata Dal and chief minister Naveen Patnaik in his meetings at Kandhamal, Bolangir and Bargarh - all scheduled to go for polls on May 20- Modi said he is challenging Patnaik to name the districts of Odisha without seeing a paper. “The CM, who cannot even name the districts and its district headquarters without a piece of paper, how far will he be able to understand the pain and suffering of the people. Ask him a question on my behalf that as he (Naveen) is contesting from Kantabanji, can he name 10 villages? I am sure that he would not be able to name even 10 villages without seeing a paper despite being CM for so many years. He (Naveen Patnaik) doesn’t know your sorrows, dreams and capabilities as he is away from the soil and people,” he said.
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Modi said though the people of Odisha gave opportunity to BJD for 25 years, its leaders are now living in palatial bungalows and vehicles, but the people are forced to migrate outside in search of work. “Was Odisha born after Modi? The state has been there with its rich culture spanning over 1,000 years. However, the Congress only showed the state’s pictures of poverty to the world. The BJD government also did not dare to stop the attempts of Congress or change the poverty scenario. Odisha is one of the richest states in the country, but the people are battling poverty. The BJD government is not providing water for irrigation, nor jobs. How long will the people of Odisha be forced to live in such situations? Till the corrupt BJD is in power, the beneficiaries will not be able to reap the benefits of the schemes, be it toilets, gas, pucca houses or drinking water. Fifty years of the people of Odisha have been lost. It is time to save Odisha, Odia Asmita and future of the children of the state. BJP has approved several Eklavya schools. But the BJD leaders have usurped tribal lands. Aau kete din sahiba Odisha- (how long will Odisha tolerate),” he said.
Highlighting the benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme, he expressed concerns over the non-implementation of the scheme in Odisha. “It is one of the biggest schemes and the people here are deprived of the benefits. I have been trying to convince the Odisha government to implement the scheme in the last 5 years. Does such an insensitive government need to remain in power here?” Modi asked.
Taking a dig at Naveen Patnaik’s trusted lieutenant VK Pandian, Modi asked who is running the Odisha government. “The entire governance has been outsourced in Odisha. A ‘Super CM’ is now there over the CM chosen by the democratically elected legislators. Are sons and daughters born in the land of Odisha not capable of running the govt? Are people born here not capable of ensuring development? Do you want the reins of power to be given to a person who does not understand Odisha,” he asked. “Be it Gopabandhu Das, Harekrushna Mahatab, Biju Babu and others, no one ever compromised with Odia Asmita. Today, the Odia culture is in danger; and how to protect Odia Asmita is the biggest challenge. Hence, the BJP has decided to bring out Odisha from such a crisis as Odia Asmita cannot be mortgaged.”
Responding to the attacks of PM Modi, BJD leader VK Pandian said while the Modi government is beating its drums on double engine sarkar, the Centre is spending only ₹6,000 crore for Ayushman Bharat for the entire country. “Odisha would get just ₹300 crore. But on Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, the state is spending ₹300 crore every month. Why did the Centre fail to build coastal highway in Odisha? We are tired of requesting the Centre over raising the coal royalty. Had the coal royalty been revised, Odisha would have got ₹5 lakh crore extra,” said Pandian.
