Prime Minister Narendra Modi Promises To End Economic Blockade In Manipur: Highlights

Imphal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Manipur's capital Imphal. Polls for the 60-member legislative assembly of the northeastern state will be held in two phases on March 4 and March 8. The election is expected to be a high-octane, virtual contest between the ruling Congress - which has ruled the state for 15 years - and the BJP. Over the last six months, many senior Congress members, including ministers, have shifted their allegiance to the BJP. However, the BJP is contesting the polls without its key regional allies National People's Party, Naga People's Front and the Lok Janshakti Party, who are all contesting the election separately.

Insurgents in the state have called for a curfew from 6 am on Saturday, ahead of the Prime Minister's scheduled visit. Situation is Manipur has been tense ever since the United Naga Council imposed an economic blockade, which has affected daily life of voters.

Here are the highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech:

• Today, the first thing I want do is make a complaint. Will you be offended?
• When, in 2014, I came here before the Lok Sabha elections, the ground was not full. Today, it is full of people.
• I can't complain but only thank you for the love.
• Manipur has been coloured with the colours of the BJP. In a few days, there will be celebrations.
• The chief minister here has been sitting in Manipur for 15 years.
• Manipur is considered as the Switzerland of East. But do you see any development, employment for youth?
• Manipur has been destroyed, who's responsible? (People chant, "Congress")
• The Congress which has so many sins, does it have any right to be in power for even a day? Will you wipe them completely this time?
• There has been no work done. All the Congress government has done is pit one community against the other and get benefit from it.
• This should end now.
• All communities spread across the state should equally benefit.
• I urge you to let BJP serve the people of Manipur. Just give us 5 years; you have given them 15 years. In 15 months, we'll do what they haven't.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made a separate ministry for the north-eastern states.
• Then the next 10 years, there was such a government in Delhi that it destroyed all the progress. They just thought of the number of MPs from the state.
• The question is not about number of MPs. It's about giving my brothers and sisters who live far away from Delhi an equal opportunity.
• Any Chief Minister from the north-east who wants to meet me is always welcome.
• When there's a NSC meeting, our minister stays here to find a solution.
• When Morarji Desai was the Prime Minister, he came for an NSC meeting. I was the first prime minister after 40 years who came here for the meeting.
• Look at Sikkim: it's developing at a fast pace. But wherever there is Congress, no state is developing.
• Manipur has one of the worst figures of people below poverty line.
• Jobs have been categorized according to different rates. If you want to be a teacher - pay a certain amount; same for being a cop or a chef at a minister's house. How is this allowed to go on?
• The Congress in Manipur does not want to light the bulbs in your house. They think if there's electricity, the people will buy TVs which will give news of the money sent to the state and not spent on its people.
• Even when the Centre gives them electricity, they have no intention to develop the state.
• Youth from Manipur and northeast have been working to safeguard Delhi. This is an example of their strength. I have urged to have northeastern people recruited in the security forces to show the country their strength.
• When, at 8 pm on November 8, I demonetised 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, Congress leaders were startled. They couldn't fathom the consequences.
• The money that they have looted, I will take it back and use it for the development of the people.
• These people don't care about cultures in India or the nation but just their seats.
• People talk about the accord with the Nagas. I want to ask the state government, were you sleeping for 1.5 years? We had informed about the accord with all details a year and a half ago. Now when the elections have been announced, they are spreading rallies.
• I, standing on the holy land of Manipur, promise you that there's not even one word in any accord which is against the interests of Manipuris.
• Isn't it the state government's responsibility to provide essential commodities such as sugar and salt, medicines and pulses?
• Still there are protests on the streets. People don't have grains. What kind of a government is that?
• Results of polls will be announced on March 11. The country will celebrate Holi on March 13. I promise you I will not let any blockade stop the celebration.
• Why shouldn't the blockades be removed? Why shouldn't there be a police case against rioters? I urge the people to remove the blockade today and we will help them to resolve all issues.
• You (Congress) had your way in Manipur because your government was in Delhi. Now you will have to give account of everything because there's Modi sitting in Delhi now.
• Manipur has done well in sports. Manipur is strong. We sent money for sports facilities but the chief minister here..
• No chief minister is talked about in percentage. What's this 10 per cent I asked the people of Manipur? They told me Modi ji you are honest; you won't understand this easily.
• Manipur now needs a zero per cent CM.
• We want to make Manipur an organic state. We want to give 24-hour electricity to all households. Congress will not let this happen. The people of Manipur will be made to live in darkness. We have to change this.
• They (Congress) wants vote for their 10 per cent commission. We want vote for 100 per cent development.
• We want to give: Kissano ko Sichai, Bachchon ko Parhai, Naujavanon ko Kamai, Aur burhon ko Davai. (Irrigation for farmers, education for children, employment for youth and medicines for the old)
• We took 800 crucial medicines and made them cheaper, from 3,000 to 300 and from 80 to 12 rupees. Didn't the people of lower economic strata benefit?
• When someone has a pain in chest, they rush to the doctor. The doctor tells them they need a stent. They give you two choices: one that costs 45,000 rupees and will give you up to six years of life, or the other which costs 1,30,000 will stay for a lifetime. So the poor are forced to choose. How can poor get 1 lakh plus?
• I called the manufacturers to reduce the cost of these stents to Rs 7,000 from 45,000 and Rs 25,000 from 1,30,000.
• Everything has rates - money is needed to get a job, needed to get a college seat.
• Son tells his mother that I need 2 lakh to get a degree which will get me a job. Mother says I will mortgage the house, the jewellery.
• Three babus for the interview and ask questions as a formality. They take money to give jobs. I have finished this process. Jobs for grade 3 and grade 4 will now be given on merit basis.
• They said we will give 12 subsidised cylinders from nine and it was an issue. We did our research and figured that people were black marketing.
• We gave free gas connections to people and saved the old mothers from the smoke of 400 cigarettes coming out from wood burning chulhas.
• This should be the aim of development. To save the poor and first give them the basics.
• Give BJP a chance for 5 years.