As the election campaigning gets intense with each passing day in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday invoked Pakistan, saying “he will make the country wear bangles”. His reaction came in response to INDIA-bloc leader Farooq Abdullah’s statement that Pakistan has also got atom bombs and not wearing bangles.
He also termed INDIA-bloc leaders “cowards” who were “scared of Pakistan’s nuclear power”.
While addressing an election rally in Bihar, he said, “The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares of its nuclear power.”
“If Pakistan does not wear bangles, we will make the country wear these. I knew they did not have foodgrains. Now, I come to know they do not even have adequate supply of bangles,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“But, we must look carefully at the opposition which seems to be full of cowards and timid people, who give a clean chit to Pakistan on terrorism, raise doubts on surgical strikes… their Left allies even want our nuclear arsenal to be dismantled,” he said.
He said the INDIA bloc had worked out a formula, which would allow five of its leaders, if the coalition came to power, to enjoy a year of premiership each.
“Just imagine what type of a mess we would get to see if the bloc’s plan to have a different PM, every year, for five years, succeeds. However, they are a motley group that is bound to fail,” he said.
“The current elections are for having a government that will give a further boost to the standing and clout enjoyed by the country,” he said.
Modi also said the money recovered in raids against politicians “belonged to the country’s poor”.
“I will tell you why they are crying hoarse against the action of agencies like the ED. During the previous Congress regime, the ED seized only Rs 35 lakh, which could be contained in a school bag. Ever since we took over, the agency has recovered Rs 2,200 crore, which would require 70 small trucks to be carried,” said Modi.
He said unlike his opponents, who were concerned about promoting their offspring, “I have no ‘waaris’ (successor). The common people are my waaris”.
He reiterated the charge that parties like the Congress and RJD will “give away reservations” to Muslims “to pursue their vote bank politics”, but added that “as long as I am alive, I will not let this happen”.
“Kidnapping and extortion flourished during the RJD rule in Bihar... NDA fights for social justice, 60 per cent Union ministers from OBC/SC/ST categories,” he asserted.
“It has been several days since I challenged the Congress-led opposition to give it in writing that it will not give reservations on religious lines. They are yet to respond,” Modi said.
