Saturday, 04 December 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
The PM sets BJP’s agenda around development for the upcoming elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his campaign in support of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming assembly elections by addressing a well attended rally at Parade Ground here on Saturday. The PM made development the central point of his 46 minute long speech and claimed that in the last five years the union government has given projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore to Uttarakhand. He emphatically asserted that it is very hard for the politicians to remind the people about the past promises made by them but he does it regularly. Modi recalled that five years ago he had said the ‘Pahad Ka Pani and Pahad Ki Jawani Pahad Ke Kaam Nahi Aate’ but in the last five years he has worked to remove this conception. Launching an attack on the Congress party without naming it the PM said that a total of 288 kilometres of National Highways (NH) was constructed in Uttarakhand in a period of seven years of UPA rule and in the last seven years more than 2,000 kilometres of NH was constructed in Uttarakhand. He added that the UPA government spent a sum of Rs 600 crore in NH construction in Uttarakhand while in the last seven years a sum of Rs 12,000 crore was spent on NH in Uttarakhand. Modi said that two years ago only 1.25 lakh households had water connection but under the Jal Jeevan Mission this number has increased to 7.5 lakh. He said that it is the power of the double engine government that three new medical colleges are coming up in a small state like Uttarakhand. Modi said that there was the time when the ruling party engaged in the politics of vote bank and tried to divide people on the basis of religion, caste and areas but the BJP government has adopted a motto of ‘ Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ and has dedicated itself for strengthening and empowering the people of the country. Sticking to the development agenda, Modi said that today he is either inaugurating or laying foundation stones of projects worth Rs 18,000 crore which includes connectivity, health, culture, tourism, power and other sectors. “Take my word these projects will make this decade the decade of Uttarakhand,’’ he said. The PM asserted that his government has focussed on developing infrastructure in the border areas, given benefit of One Rank One Pension (OROP) and modernised the armed forces.
In his address chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that after assuming the charge of the CM of the state he has taken 500 decisions in the last five months. He asked people not to get swayed by the propaganda of those who earned the title of ‘corruption king’ for rampant corruption during their tenure. In an oblique reference to the former chief minister Harish Rawat, Dhami said that those who had insulted the Sanatan Dharma and culture are now making rounds of temples.
The BJP State president Madan Kaushik said that a decision like abolition of article 370 can be taken by a strong leader such as Narendra Modi. He said that PM has kept development of Uttarakhand in his highest priority. former chief ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘ Nishank’, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Tirath Singh Rawat, Vijay Bahuguna, cabinet ministers Harak Singh Rawat, Satpal Maharaj, Subodh Uniyal, Banshidhar Bhagat, Bishan Singh Chufal, Ganesh Joshi, Rekha Arya and Yatishwaranand also addressed the gathering on the occasion.
PM pats back of Dhami; says team BJP full of experienced leaders
Apart from patting the back of young Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to hammer home the point of unity in the party during his speech in Parade Ground on Saturday. In an attempt to take the prominent leaders of ruling BJP along, the PM stated that the party has many senior leaders and it has a very experienced team and the people of the state should give their blessing to BJP.
Terming Dhami as a young and energetic leader, the PM said that the state government is implementing the projects of the central government on the ground at a fast pace. He also praised the state government for a successful vaccination programme and said that 50 new oxygen plants were set up in the state during the pandemic.
The PM met former chief ministers Trivendra Singh Rawat, Tirath Singh Rawat, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna and senior cabinet ministers Satpal Maharaj and Harak Singh Rawat warmly on the stage.
Modi develops connect using local tongue
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to make an emotional connection with the people of the state by starting his speech in Garhwali. Amid huge applause from the people the PM said that he has come to Uttarakhand to seek blessings of the people here. He said that Uttarakhand is a centre of faith and Karma and vowed that the double engine government has kept development of the state in its highest priority. The PM also ended his speech by stating a poem which highlighted the local culture, cuisine and his devotion to the Dev Bhoomi.
