New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today mocked the Congress's proposed NYAY scheme which translates to "justice" in Hindi literally and claimed that the grand old party has finally agreed that injustice was done by them over the past 60 years. "Congress and dishonesty are best friends. But sometimes by mistake they end up speaking the truth. Now they are saying Nyay will happen. Even if they did not intend to, they have admitted that they had done injustice for the 60 years," PM Modi said at a massive rally in Theni.
PM Modi is addressing rallies in Tamil Nadu day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi campaigned across the state. He is in the state to campaign for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Tamil Nadu votes in a single phase on April 18. From Tamil Nadu, PM heads to neighbouring Karnataka, where he will address public gatherings in Mangalore and Bengaluru.
The Congress chief, who paid a visit to Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, will travel to Karnataka where he is expected to address three rallies. Mr Gandhi visited a memorial in Punjab's Amritsar to pay tribute to the those who lost their lives in the massacre in Punjab's Amritsar on 1919.
Rahul Gandhi's sister, Priyanka, who has been made in-charge of eastern UP, will hold roadshows in Fatehpur Sikri and Aligarh today.
Voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will be done on May 23.
Here are the highlights of Lok Sabha election-related news:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's attack on the Congress.
"When I was coming here from the airport which was a long journey, I saw that not a human chain but a human wall is there on both sides of the road. I thought if so many people are here,who will be there (at the rally). But same number of people are here as well": PM Modi in Bengaluru
BJP government is misusing CBI, ED against opposition leaders: Mayawati- "I want reply to Yogi that we have ali and also bajrangbali (Lord Hanuman).
- BJP government is misusing CBI, ED against opposition leaders . It's similar to how the congress used to misuse the agencies in their tenure
- Congress party making all kinds of lucrative promises to the poor . The party 's promise of giving Rs 6,000 per month to the poor is not going to help. If we come to power at the Centre , we will not give money to the poor but arrange for jobs. Would request the poor to ignore the inducements of the Congress.
Alliance partners unhappy with DMK's pitch for ''naamdar'' as PM candidate: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said alliance partners in "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) are disappointed with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin pitch for Congress president Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial candidate for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a public rally in Theni, PM Modi said that all "friends" in the "mahamilawati (grand adulteration)" are aspiring to be the Prime Minister.
PM Modi, who indirectly calls Rahul "naamdar", said: "Some days ago, the DMK leader proposed ''naamdar'' as the prime ministerial candidate but no one was ready to accept it, not even their ''mahamilawati'' friends. The proposal made other partners in the alliance unhappy since everyone in mahagathbandan wants to be the Prime Minister."
- India is a great country, a vibrant democracy... it is the duty of every individual to protect this... Democracy is a process in nation-making...
- All opposition parties are fighting on democratic compulsions.. Enforcement Directorate, RBI.and other democratic institutions are being undermined. Government is interfering through Election Commission and destroying democracy. When polls are announced its a level playing field... they are violating the principle.
- We have already complained about EVMs... we just can't trust them. When we asked the EC to count paper trails of 50% EVMs, they said no.... then wen approached the Supreme Court, and they allowed counting of paper trails for one of the five EVMs in each constituency... even that is not enough.
- In Andhra Pradesh they have been doing all sorts of illegal things... they have transferred our collectors and other officials. Murder has also been committed. What is the justification of all this? What is the IB doing? What are other government departments and institutions doing?
- The Election Commission is not cooperating with us. The election commission is working on the orders of the prime minister. I have complained to EC and CEO of Andhra, and no action has been taken. This is very unfair.
N Chandrababu Naidu briefs media after meeting Election Commission officials. Mr Naidu has alleged that a large number of EVM machines had malfunctioned in the recently-held phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala will hold a press briefing at 1:30 PM at party headquarters.
Farmers are the soul of our nation: PM- Through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, lakhs of farmers in Tamil Nadu are now receiving over Rs 4,000 crore every year.
- For decades, farmers were demanding MSP at 1.5 times the cost. We have fulfilled this demand.
PM Modi attacks Congress over 1984 Sikh riots, Bhopal Gas Tragedy- I want to ask the Congress party: Who will do Nyay to the victims of the 1984 Sikh riots?
- Who will do Nyay to all the victims of the ant-Dalit massacres that happened under their watch.
- Who will do Nyay to the Governments of the great MGR and Karunanidhi Ji, which were dismissed by Congress just because one family did not like those leaders.
- Who will do Nyay to the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, among the worst environment disasters in India. That too happened under Congress rule.
"Left no stone unturned in protecting India and destroying forces of terror: PM Modi- It is now up to you to decide: How will you deal with those who question the surgical strike and the air strike done by our brave Armed Forces.
- How do you deal with those who wish to weaken the Armed Forces?
- How do you deal with those who wish to talk to the sponsors of terrorism.
- When it comes to national security, there can be no compromises.
- I assure my fellow Indians that we leave no stone unturned in protecting India and destroying forces of terror.
- When a brave Indian fighter pilot was captured in Pakistan, it was ensured that he is back home in record time.Even then, Congress was playing politics over national security, insulting our forces.
Those who were sworn enemies, have come together, says PM Modi- We observe today, the solemn occasion, of the completion of 100 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. I pay my respects to the martyrs of this incident
- I also pay homage to the great MGR and Jayalalithaa Ji. India is proud of these two iconic leaders, who lived and worked for the poor. Their social welfare schemes ensured lakhs of people are freed from poverty.
- We move forward with the dream of a New India. An India, where everyone, from the soldier to the farmer, can lead a life with security, prosperity and dignity.
- Today, India is rapidly making a mark in the world. The Congress, the DMK, and their Maha Milawati (Grand alliance) friends cannot accept this. That is why, they are unhappy with me.
- Those who were sworn enemies, have come together, in an effort to hoodwink the people of Tamil Nadu.
- Those of you, who recall 1979, would know how the Congress had humiliated the DMK.
- More recently, when the 2G scam happened, Kanimozhi was in jail and DMK leaders were criticizing the Congress.
- Despite such bitterness in the past, today, the Congress and the DMK are together again, in an attempt to mislead the people. All the corrupt have ganged up in an attempt to defeat Modi.
- Some days ago, DMK chief projected the Naamdaar as Prime Minister.
- But no one was ready to accept it. Not even their Maha Milawati friends. Why? Because they all want to be PM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in Theni, Tamil Nadu
JD(U) leader Prashant Kishor this morning took a sharp dig at RJD chief Lalu Yadav and invited him for a "joint media interaction" to clear air about Rabri Devi's claim about a pre-poll alliance offer to the RJD.
Ex-Bihar minister and Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife, Rabri Devi, on Friday claimed poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who joined JD(U) last year, recently met her husband. Mr Kishor, she said, suggested Lalu Yadav's RJD and Nitish Kumar's JD (U) should join hands for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
"All our staff and security personnel deployed here are witnesses. He called on us at least five times, mostly here (her 10, Circular Road residence), and one or two times at paanch number (5, Deshratna Marg - the bungalow allotted to her younger son Tejashwi Yadav)," Rabri Devi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
If Mr Kishor denies meeting Lalu Yadav, it would be a "blatant lie", she stressed.
In a rebuttal, Mr Kishor this morning tweeted: "Those convicted or facing charges of abuse of public office and misappropriation of funds are claiming to be the custodians of truth."
Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who made similar claims about Prashant Kishor's merger offer in his recently-published autobiography, is convicted in the multi-crore fodder scam cases.
Voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will be done on May 23.
The BSP-SP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh are also expected to hold a join rally today. The joint rally n UP's Badaun will be their second among the 11 such rallies planned so far.
The Congress chief, who paid a visit to Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, will travel to Karnataka where he is expected to address three rallies. Mr Gandhi visited a memorial in Punjab's Amritsar to pay tribute to the those who lost their lives in the massacre in Punjab's Amritsar on 1919.
Rahul Gandhi's sister, Priyanka, who has been made in-charge of eastern UP, will hold roadshows in Fatehpur Sikri and Aligarh today.
A day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies across Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today visit the state to campaign for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Tamil Nadu votes in a single phase on April 18. PM Modi will address rallies in Theni and Ramanathapuram before he heads to neighbouring Karnataka, where he will address public gatherings in Mangalore and Bengaluru.
For all the election-elated updates of Friday, click
here