Taking over from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had left, Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Wednesday launched a broadside on the ruling BJD over several issues in Odisha.
PM Modi had earlier addressed a massive public meeting in Nabarangpur on May 6. The BJP is trying its best to come to power in Odisha. While addressing a public meeting at Bhawanipatna under the Kalahandi Parliamentary segment, Rajnath Singh attacked the BJD and the Congress for decades of 'misgovernance'.
In his address, Rajnath Singh said that a lot of development work has taken place in the country under 10 years of PM Narendra Modi’s leadership. Singh assured that things can be rapidly improved in Kalahandi, which is considered as one of the backward places, if the BJP comes to power in Odisha.
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Earlier, NGOs used to come to Kalahandi as part of some tourism and write articles about its poverty. The Congress was in power here for long. Be it Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi or Manmohan Singh, all of them only claimed to eradicate poverty. The Congress ruled the country for decades together but poverty could not be eliminated. But after PM Narendra Modi came to power, the Centre has been able to uplift over 25 crore people from poverty, said Singh.
"As far as social welfare schemes are concerned, the manifesto of BJP has been prepared after a lot of deliberations; and the party believes in doing what it says. There will be no poor in the country in the next 10 to 15 years; not a single family will be left without a pucca house, drinking water or cooking gas in the next 5 years,” said Singh.
Ayushman Bharat Soon in Odisha: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Centre has launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme under which Rs 5 lakh assistance for medical expenses is being provided. Once the BJP comes to power in Odisha, the party will ensure its implementation in the state as well, said Singh.
BJP Fulfilled it's Commitment: Singh
"The BJP government abrogated Article 370 after getting a full majority. We had announced construction of Lord Ram Temple and we fulfilled our commitment," said Rajnath Singh.
“The Congressmen used to mock us on the Ram Mandir issue. But our Prime Minister made it happen and it shows our character. There is no power in the world to stop establishment of 'Ram Rajya' in India,” he said.
Abolishing Triple Talaq
A lot of people had warned us not to interfere in matters of other religions. But BJP cannot tolerate any injustice to women and hence, Triple Talaq was ended.
“Be it Hindus, Muslims, Christian or Sikh, if there is any injustice to any women, the BJP will stand with them,” said Singh.
Rajnath Singh's Attack on BJD & Congress
BJP is the most trusted party in the country. The people of Odisha have seen what type of development work done in 50 years of Congress rule and the 25 years of BJD's regime, said Singh while urging the people to vote for the BJP candidates to ensure development in Kalahandi and Odisha at large.
"Terrorists recently attacked our convoy in Jammu and Kashmir. A Congress minister from Punjab said that it was an ‘election stunt’. Will we attack our soldiers? What do they (Opposition) want to do with our nation’s security? Earlier, there used to be terrorist attacks in every part of the country. After BJP came to power, there has been a sharp decline in terror attacks in the country," said the Union Minister.
“BJP’s character is not like Congress or BJD'
Rajiv Gandhi said that only 15 paisa reaches the poor from Rs 1 sent by the Centre. But PM Modi ensured that money reaches the poor without any corruption. Nobody in the country thought of providing free ration but now, 80 crore people in the country are getting benefits. India is growing at a rapid pace,” Singh added.
Rajnath Singh in Rayagada
Winding up his one-day Odisha visit, Rajnath Singh also addressed a public meeting at Rayagada today. In his address, Singh said that this time the entire atmosphere in Odisha is different from earlier, people used to say about the party winning 7 to 8 seats in elections but now the people of Odisha are saying that BJP will win all the 21 seats in the state.
According to Singh, Odisha is the land of Lord Jagannath and there is tremendous faith across the globe.
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“People have seen Congress rule from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh and nobody was able to eradicate poverty despite strong claims. But it is only Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been successful in this regard. If PM Modi continues to work more, the country will be free from poverty. It is BJP’s commitment to provide pucca houses, drinking water and cooking gas and it has already been done,” said Singh.
Singh further said that if any beneficiary has not received any such facility under BJD’s rule in Odisha, they will get it after the BJP forms government here.
The BJD has deprived the people of Odisha from getting the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Once the BJP forms government in Odisha, the party will implement the scheme here along with other schemes.
“Congress and BJD leaders have made a lot of promises in the past. Odisha would have been a rich state had they fulfilled their commitments even partially. It is the BJP which does what it says. Be it abrogation of 370 or construction of Ram Temple or abolishing Triple Talaq, BJP fulfilled its promises soon after it formed govt in Delhi,” said Singh.
Rajnath Targets Opposition
On the Opposition allegation that the BJP would bring amendments to the Constitution, Singh said that it is Congress that has brought changes 80 times and it is levelling such allegations against the BJP. It was also the Congress that attempted to change the soul of the Preamble, alleged Singh.
“I want to tell the Congress and the BJD to do politics on the basis of work done and not by misleading people. However, they won't be coming to power here. Today, BJP is the largest party in the world and the people have faith in us as we do what we say and it is our character,” said Singh.
On ED, CBI Crackdown
On opposition allegations, Rajnath Singh said agencies are doing their work and the aim is to wipe out corruption.
“If we admit that ED and CBI are doing wrong, then who is stopping them from knocking on the doors of the court. Our intention is to make a strong India,” Singh added.