"When Congress's Yuvraj Says The Country...": PM Modi's Dig At Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Congress' mindset of "shackling the Constitution" and imposing an Emergency had not changed, and the opposition's INDIA grouping did not have any pro-development ideas.

Speaking at a campaign rally here for BJP candidates from Wardha and Amravati Lok Sabha constituencies in eastern Maharashtra, he also said the Congress knows it cannot win the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, and therefore its "Yuvraj" (apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi) was threatening that the country will be on fire if the BJP won.

Against the BJP's development agenda, the Congress and INDIA bloc are bereft of any ideas, the prime minister said, adding that polling for the first phase of the elections, which began earlier in the morning, showed that his government was set to win a third term.

"When its 'yuvraj' says the country will be set ablaze, (it indicates that) Congress' mindset of shackling the Constitution and imposing Emergency has not changed," Prime Minister Modi said, apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi's reported remarks.

Wardha and Amravati will vote in the second phase on April 26.

The Prime Minister further said that every vote from Maharashtra should be for development.

"INDIA alliance leaders in Tamil Nadu want destruction of Sanatan (dharma), and (yet) in Maharashtra they are called to speak at rallies. Congress boycotted the Ram temple pran-pratishta (consecration).... on the first Ram Navmi (after the event ), 'Surya Tilak' was done using the Sun's rays and the country was filled with devotion. But an INDIA alliance leader called it a sham. This is the real face of Congress," Modi said.

"Make the Congress pay for its sins in Maharashtra," the Prime Minister added.

"The 2024 elections are for fulfilling the dream of Viksit (developed) and Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat. The country is all set to take a decisive step in this direction," he said.

Prime Minister Modi also accused Congress and the INDIA bloc of being anti-development and anti-farmer, adding that to vote for them was to waste one's vote.

"Before 2014, there was a perception that nothing good could happen in the country. There was despair all around, especially among the poor, farmers, and women. A poor man's son (referring to himself) has worshipped those who had been left out (of development)....Now, the country is filled with self-confidence and is looking forward to Modi's guarantees which come with a roadmap and commitment," the prime minister said.

Listing the achievements of his government, he said some four crore people benefitted from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 50 crore people were brought into the ambit of banking and became part of the (formal) economy, 25 crore people were brought out of the Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) category, 11 crore people got water connections, and electricity reached all villages.

"Some people may have been left out of the ongoing development process. When you come across such people, collect information and inform me. Do tell them that the benefits would reach them in Modi's third term. I want to serve every person and I need your help," the PM told the gathering.

In the next five years, his government will provide houses and water connections to those who were left out, and free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to those who are 70 and above, he said.

The country saw modern trains like Vande Bharat and the success of the Chandrayaan (moon lander) mission in the last ten years, and will now see the Bullet train dream come true and the Ganganyan (Indian crewed spacecraft) mission, the prime minister averred.

Developed India would be incomplete without women's empowerment, he said, and highlighted his government's role in expanding the network of women's self-help groups and making three crore women "lakhpati".

With a slew of projects, the Centre and the Maharashtra government removed the backward tag of Vidarbha (eastern Maharashtra) which had suffered due to the Congress' anti-development agenda, he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)