21 November, 2022 | Vaishali Sharma
As the campaign in Gujarat heats up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged the Congress to a “face-off” over development rather than talking “aukat.”
As the campaign in Gujarat heats up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged the Congress to a “face-off” over development rather than talking “aukat.”
“They talked about showing me my ‘aukat’…called me many names…I have no ‘aukat’,” PM Modi said referring to the Congress leaders’ criticism of him. Apparently targeting Congress leaders, he said, “You belong to the royal family, I hail from an ordinary family, I have no problem. I am a servant and a servant with little to do. You called me ugly, low caste, death dealer, dirty sewer worm and now you ask to show aukat.”
“I have no aukat. Let’s discuss the issue of development and make Gujarat develop. Come to the field. Let this be a face off,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a scathing attack on the Congress during a public address in the Dudhrej area of Gujarat’s Surendranagar.
PM Modi claimed, in a veiled assault on Rahul Gandhi for strolling with Medha Patkar, that their leader travels by putting his hands on the shoulders of the people who make Gujarat “thirsty.”
In an apparent dig at Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi remarked during his rally in Dhoraji on Sunday that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader walked with a woman who attempted everything to undermine the Narmada Project.
“You should ask them with what face are they coming to seek votes from you. They did everything to stall the Narmada project for decades together and ensured that no money including that from World Bank was able to come over to Gujarat. They were constantly maligning the reputation of Gujarat,” PM Modi said on Sunday as on November 19, Rahul Gandhi was joined by activist Medha Patkar, in his Bharat Jodo Yatra, who spearheaded the Narmada Bachao Aandolan to prevent the displacement of locals due to the water of the Dam.
Attacking the ‘padyatris’ of Bharat Jodo Yatra, PM Modi said, “People doing padayatra don’t even know how cotton and groundnut are grown.”
“80 per cent of the country’s salt is made in Gujarat. When we came, we changed the status of Agarias (salt farmers of Kutch). We have encouraged small businesses.
“Surendranagar has seen the rule of Tendermafia. I have said earlier also that if any district would ever avail maximum benefits from Narmada scheme, it will be Surendranagar,” PM Modi emphasised today.
He said that he was successful in providing 24 hours electricity supply to the people of the state when he was the chief minister.
“When I was the Chief Minister, I decided to provide 24 hours electricity to Gujarat-which was termed ‘impossible’ by the Congress leaders. But the people made me do difficult work and that’s why I could deliver 24-hour electricity to the villages in Gujarat in the last 10 years,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also mentioned farmers in his speech, emphasising the government’s adoption of nano fertilisers for farmers.
PM Modi further stated that the Centre purchases urea for farmers at a cost of Rs 2,000 but sells it to them at a cost of Rs 270. Surendranagar’s future days would be bright, he added.
Gujarat, which has 182 assembly constituencies, will hold elections in two stages on December 1 and 5. The counting of ballots will take place on December 8, which is also the day of the Himachal Pradesh election results.
Gujarat, where the governing BJP has been in power for nearly 27 years, will seek a seventh term.
