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Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted a strong attack on Congress and MVA in his election rallies in Maharashtra, saying the opposition party wants to create rift among OBCs and is "pitting one caste against another" as he urged people to stay united, emphasisng "ek hain toh safe hain (together, we are safe)."
PM Modi addressed public rallies at Dhule and Nashik and said that the NDA government at the Centre and the Mahayuti government in the state are committed to the welfare of people. PM Modi highlighted the initiatives of the central government and the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for different sections of society including tribals, Dalits and OBCs. In his rally in Nashik, PM Modi asked if Congress party will praise late Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray "whose contribution to the politics of the country and Maharashtra is incomparable." He said the people of Maharashtra are seeing the manifesto of 'Mahayuti' and the 'ghotala patra' of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). "Balasaheb Thackeray's contribution to the politics of the country and Maharashtra is incomparable. But not a single word comes out from the mouth of Congress leaders in praise of Balasaheb Thackeray. I challenge my friends in the MVA, they should get the Congress leaders to praise Balasaheb Thackeray and his ideology...Today is 8th November, I will count the number of days and wait for a reply from MVA people," PM Modi said. He also targeted Congress over its view of VD Savarkar and said party leader Rahul Gandhi has apparently been told by his allies here not to air his views about the freedom fighter. He also referred to BJP-led government approving classical Language status to Marathi along with Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages. "We gave Marathi the recognition, which this great language deserves. We talked about the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. BJP proudly says that Veer Savarkar is our source of inspiration. Veer Savarkar is the pride of Maharashtra and the nation. But on the other hand, Congress and the people of MVA never let Marathi language get the status of elite language. Congress people abuse Veer Savarkar...I have heard that the people of MVA sat with the 'Yuvraj' of Congress and told him to stop abusing Veer Savarkar if you want to win elections in Maharashtra," PM Modi said. He alleged that Congress wants OBC castes to fight among themselves. "Congress's clear opinion is that only when OBCs are weakened, the path to power will open for Congress, so Congress wants to create rifts among OBCs. Here in Nashik, there are so many OBC castes...Congress wants all these castes to fight among themselves...Congress has entered the field to destroy you. It is most troubled by your unity and strength. That is why it wants OBCs to lose their unity and open the way to power for Congress... But as I say 'Ek hain toh safe hain," PM Modi said. "A person from the OBC has become the Prime Minister of the country for the third time, Congress can't come to terms with this truth. Congress has lost its sleep. They are venting their anger on the OBC...MVA is against the Ladki Bahan Yojana, they went to the Court to stop this scheme," he added. He alleged that people have rejected Congress in different parts of the country and now it is "parasitic" party dependent on its allies for electoral success. "The people of Maharashtra are seeing the manifesto of 'Mahayuti' and the 'ghotala patra' of MVA...The whole country has completely rejected the Congress due to its actions. Congress is no longer the All India Congress. Congress has now become a parasitic Congress. This Congress party is now surviving only on crutches. Be it Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar or Jharkhand, in most states, Congress is in a position to contest elections only with the support of other parties...Congress wants to divide SCs, STs and OBCs. OBCs were never able to unite during the Congress rule," he said. PM Modi said Congress has not been able to come to power on its own since the ninetees when OBCs (other backward communities) united. "OBCs got reservation only when the Congress government was removed. During Nehru's time, Congress kept OBCs divided into different castes, then Indira Gandhi also had the same attitude and the same was the case with Rajiv Gandhi. These people never allowed OBCs to unite and as soon as OBCs united in the 90s and became powerful, the Congress stopped forming governments with full majority," he said. He also referred to ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly over the resolution for restoration of "special status and constitutional guarantees" and said Congress and its allies want to again implement Article 370. "You must have seen it on TV. 2-3 days ago, Congress and its allies created a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to re-implement Article 370. These people again want the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar to be removed from Jammu and Kashmir. These people again want that the reservation that Dalits, Valmiki community to be snatched away. Against the Constitution, against Dalits, backward classes, tribals, Congress is as much a part of this conspiracy as their other allies in the MVA. The Congress and the Aghadi people leave no opportunity to push the country backwards and weaken it," he said. "What did these people not do to push the country backwards in defence manufacturing...They spread falsehoods about HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), stirred up controversies, and incited employees. However, HAL has now emerged as a company with record profits. When policies are clear and intentions are good, you get good results...Congress and its allies neither care about Baba Saheb Ambedkar's constitution, nor about the court, nor about the sentiments of the country. They carry the constitution book in their pockets just for show. These Congress people are the ones who did not allow Baba Saheb's Constitution to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir for 75 years. BJP and NDA removed Article 370 and implemented one country, one constitution," he added. He said Maharashtra is far ahead in modern infrastructure projects. "Highways and expressways are being built here. Investments are being made here in the areas of modern technology. If any government stops this work, will Maharashtra be able to move forward, will the youth of Maharashtra get employment opportunities? If this work stops, Maharashtra will be left far behind. This is what the Congress and its allies want, this is their agenda. Whenever any big work is done in Maharashtra, these people come to oppose it," he alleged. The Prime Minister spoke of steps taken for the welfare of farmers and women. "In a double-engine government, the speed of development doubles. Along with that, the benefits of the schemes also double. The farmers of Maharashtra are experiencing this today. Here, the farmers are getting the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Along with that, they are also getting Namo Shetkari Maha Samman Nidhi. That is financial help of Rs 12,000 annually. I want to tell my farmer friends that when our government is formed again in Maharashtra, this help of Rs 12,000 will increase to Rs 15,000. Lakhs of farmer families of Maharashtra will get a huge benefit from this," he said. "Today, in Maharashtra more than 50 lakh women have been given free gas connections under the Ujjwala Yojana. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 1.25 crore households in the state have started getting tap water facility. Today, about 7 crore people of Maharashtra are getting free ration every month," he said. "More than 26 lakh poor people of the state have benefited from the PM Awas Yojana, they have been given concrete houses. To ensure that such work for the poor continues, it is necessary to form a Mahayuti government again in Maharashtra," he added. PM Modi said his 11-day ritual, before pran prathistha of Ram Temple idol in Ayodhya, started from Nashik. "Today, on the first day of the Maharashtra Assembly election campaign, I have had the privilege of coming to the holy land of Nashik. When the 500-year wait for the Ram temple in Ayodhya ended and Lord Shri Ram returned once again, my 11-day fasting ritual before the Pran Pratishtha also started from Nashik," PM Modi said. "Today, once again, I have come to Nashik for a developed Maharashtra, for a developed India, to seek the blessings of Nashik...Our country is making new records because today there is a government in the country that cares for the poor. When the poor progress, only then the does country progress. For so many decades, Congress and its allies gave the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao', yet the poor remained dependent on food, clothing and shelter. Now, within just 10 years, 25 crore people of the country have come out of poverty," he added. Maharashtra will go for assembly polls on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. (ANI)
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