Ratcheting up his campaign in the remaining phases of the election, Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the electorate in Tamil Nadu to consider the BJP alliance under the leadership of Vijaykanth, Vaiko, S Ramadoss and Pon Radhakrishnan as a credible alternative to the established political parties in the State, and promised to achieve hitherto unrealised milestones in just 60 months. As Tamil Nadu goes to the polls on April 24, the BJP Prime Ministerial contender is slated to cover more parts of the State on Thursday; he also addressed a huge rally in Coimbatore and two well attended rallies in Madhya Pradesh, which votes again on April 17 and 24.
In the steel city of Salem, which has given the world some of its iconic buildings in Malaysia and Australia, Narendra Modi regretted that an iron ore rich India which could emerge as a manufacturing hub of the world has been exporting this valuable raw material and importing steel in the past 10 years. Pointing out that Salem steel is renowned across the country and the world, he said this was a “tragic condition” and that “no country has this kind of manufacturing agenda” and called for making Indian steel a global brand by emphasising quality, value addition and adoption of the best global practices and latest technology to bring about a paradigm shift in the quality of life of the people of the region.
This, he stressed, will include stronger social security for the workers, with pension and health cover. “Your voice must reach the high command”, he said, and queried, “but how will it when even the Prime Minister’s voice is unheard?” He urged the enthusiastic crowd for a chance to serve them. There was no problem in Salem, but there was a problem in Delhi and Chennai, with the result that though the people were willing to work hard, the Government failed to supply power to the units, and the country needs power and not dealers in power.
The nation today trusts a person who sells chai and not those who have sold the nation. The Congress still pursues the colonial policy of divide and rule and keeps States fighting among themselves over issues of power, river water, language; in 60 years the Congress has not resolved a single inter-State dispute; hence it is time to bid it adieu.
Salem is equally famous for its artisans, silversmiths and weavers, and the BJP manifesto laid emphasis on uplifting the handicraft and handloom sector through addition, packaging, branding, latest technology and market linkages, he said.
The BJP approach was a united and great India (Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat) in which Team India comprising the Centre and the States would work in harmony to take the nation ahead. The shehzade says that if India is a computer then Congress is its default programme but, the BJP leader mocked, the outdated 1970s programme will not work in the 21st century; the antique vote-bank politics will not work anymore; the nation wants action and delivery.
Noting that tapioca farmers were suffering a decline in productivity, he said they need quality seed and fertiliser. Promising a new programme, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana on coming to power, he said water for irrigation with river linkage to bring water to Tamil Nadu would be a priority of the next regime, along with boosting the energy sector. Urja Shakti would be the right of every Indian, he assured. Agriculture would be modernized, farm insurance introduced, and diversification would be introduced where needed, such as in the sabudana industry of Salem.
Regretting the underdevelopment in Salem, where 65 per cent of the population does not have access to toilets and 55 per cent households lack drainage facility, Narendra Modi said sanitation is central to health assurance and hence a real change of the governance model was the need of the hour.
Previously at Krishnagiri, Narendra Modi lauded the forward-looking, spiritual, and loyal and loving character of the Tamil people. Observing that Tamil is one of the oldest languages of the world, he said he was very interested in Sangam literature. There were many parallels between Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, he said; both are coastal states with a long history of sea-based trade and commerce with other ancient civilisations; both played a role in the freedom struggle as best symbolised by Mahatma Gandhi and Rajaji; and Tamils have settled in Gujarat in large numbers to make it the Manchester of India and mixed with the local population like milk and sugar. The hard work and dedication of the people have made this one of the most advanced States in the country, with products that are competitive in the national and international market. Only a Tamil could have invented email, he appreciated.
Earlier, at Ratlam and Kukshi (Dhar), Narendra Modi said the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have tried and tested the BJP, and Chhattisgarh citizens braved Maoists guns to support the BJP because they have understood that development alone can change lives. Prior to that, these States were known as bimaru, and those responsible for this state of affairs have similarly ruined the nation while sitting at the helm of affairs for 10 years. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had shed this tag under the BJP, he pointed out.
Listing the achievements of the regime, he exhorted the youth between the ages of 18 to 28 to ensure that the BJP alliance got a mandate of 300-plus in Parliament so that the crucial years of their lives were not lost; this time wasted can ruin your life forever, he warned, adding that the older generation of 60 years and above would be able to withstand the shock of a shoddy government, but the youth need jobs and opportunities. The older generation, he said, will throw out the UPA, he said, but the youth must see to it that a “majboot sarkar” replaces it.
The Congress, he mocked, has changed its name and its Nishan (symbol) often, but its character remains the same and hence it indulges in corruption (Adarsh, Bofors, coal, helicopters, et al) and divide and rule. He teased the people for not going to see the Prime Minister when he came for campaigning, “you lost a chance, where will you see such a Prime Minister again?” On a more serious note, he said the people should have asked the Prime Minister why the railway project for Jabalpur was still stuck. Lambasting the UPA claim that a five member family could survive on Rs 36/day, he said the challenge of the incoming regime would be to ensure that those born in poverty do not die in poverty.
Niticentral.com, 16 April 2014