Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the public at the Seoni rally in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday that it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government that opened a separate ministry for the welfare of tribals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that despite being in power for five to six decades after Independence, the Congress did not do anything for the welfare of the tribal community while addressing a public meeting in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh ahead of the state elections.
Slamming the Congress, the PM said, "Congress party never bothered about the welfare of Tribals despite ruling the country for over five decades."
For the first time in the country, a separate ministry for the welfare of tribals was constituted when the BJP came to power under the leadership of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said.
PM Modi also said the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna, providing free ration to 80 crore poor people, will be extended for the next five years.
“During the severe COVID-19 crisis, the only thing that bothered me was how the poor people will provide food to their children when everything was closed. They couldn't go out of their homes for work and therefore, I decided to fight to save the people of the country under any condition," he said.
"As a result of this resolve, I decided to provide ration free of cost to 80 crore people so that their children get food through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna,” he said.
Modi said that as he comes from a poor family and understands the problems being faced by such people, his government has decided to extend the scheme of providing free ration for the next five years.
"During the Congress regime, scams worth lakhs and crores took place but no such thing takes place during the BJP government and the money thus saved is being spent on providing free ration to the poor people,” he said.
Referring to the mass availability of mobile phones in the country, PM Modi said mobile phones as well as data services are cheaper in the country because of his government's policies and ensuring huge savings for the people.
The monthly charges of Rs 300-400 for mobile phones and data could have been Rs 4,000-5,000 per month had Congress been in power, he said.
Modi also said that the Janaushadhi Kendras set up by the government offered an 80 per cent discount on medicines and saved nearly Rs 25,000 crore for the poor people in the country.
Farmers in India are getting urea at Rs 300 per bag, which is 10 times less than what it costs cultivators in the US, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday targeted the opposition Congress, saying two of its senior leaders were fighting in Madhya Pradesh to establish their sons and to capture the party organisation in the state.
"The Congress is not contesting polls in the state, but its two big leaders are fighting with each other," he said.
A recent viral video of MP Congress president Kamal Nath where he is asking Congress workers to "tear clothes" of his colleague Digvijaya Singh over denial of ticket to a leader from Shivpuri had fuelled talks of a rift in the party over selection of nominees.
However, both the former CMs have sought to make light of the episode and put up a united face ahead of the state polls scheduled on November 17.