BARGARH (ODISHA), Feb 21:
Slamming critical NGOs and black-marketeers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused them of conspiring to destabilise his Government and “defame” him and asserted that he will carry on with his work without bowing to any machinations.
He said “some people” were not able to digest the fact that a “chai wala” (tea seller) has become the Prime Minister and hence were conspiring all the time to bring him down.
He was addressing a farmers’ rally here after a brief visit to Chhattisgarh where he said his Government is for the poor, dalits and other oppressed and deprived sections of the society as he launched the ambitious ‘Rurban Mission’ for developing 300 villages across the country as urban growth centres.
While enlisting the measures taken by his Government for the welfare of the farmers, a combative Modi told the gathering, “You would have seen in the recent past, there is attack on me all the time. Some people are continuously at it. They are not able to digest how Modi became the Prime Minister, how a ‘chai wala’ became the Prime Minister, they cannot swallow it.”
Without naming anybody or any specific instance, he said he had taken some steps because of which “these people are facing problems”.
He made the remarks while talking about the neem-coating of urea being done to avoid its pilferage and routing to chemical factories like in the past.
“Since we have done neem coating, will those chemical factories which were looting not be angry with Modi? If something is against Modi, will they not help it? Will they not shout against Modi,” he asked the gathering.
The Prime Minister said that NGOs receive money from foreign countries and his Government was seeking the account.
“We said let it come but give account of the funds received. The moment we started asking for accounts, they all got together and said ‘Modi ko Maaro’, ‘Modi ko Maaro’ (hit Modi), he is seeking accounts from us,” he said and asserted that “the country needs to know where the money that comes in is being spent. It is in the law.”
He said since the Government started asking for accounts, “they all (NGOs) got together and have been conspiring all the time how to finish Modi, how to remove Modi Government and how to defame Modi.
“But my dear brothers and sisters, you have elected me to cure the country of this disease and I am doing this.
“Whatever they may say against me, I am not going to deviate from the path of the work you have entrusted me. I am not going to stop, or get tired and there is no question of bowing to it.”
The Prime Minister said he knows what is “irritating” and “pinching” his detractors but “we will not allow the country to be looted or destroyed.”
Modi focussed his speech on his Government’s initiatives for the welfare of the farming community, including Irrigation scheme, Crop Insurance Scheme and Soil Health Card scheme.
He said even the Start-Up scheme launched by him recently could be used for the development of the agriculture sector as it was not confined to hi-tech sectors like IT only.
The Prime Minister said the Government is giving thrust to agriculture sector as it is convinced that the country can have 2nd Green Revolution in which Odisha and other eastern States should take the lead.
“I am your ‘pradhan sewak’. Can we all together, the Centre and the States, work to ensure that the farmers’ income is doubled by 2022, the 75th anniversary of the country’s Independence? Let us all make some contribution to fufill the dreams of those who fought for the Independence,” he said.
“I live for the farmers”, Modi said as he appealed to the agriculture community to make ample use of the Crop Insurance scheme as it will help them during the time of crisis.
He said the newly-launched scheme is so good, as compared to the earlier ones, that even the critics have not been able to criticise it.
Earlier, in Dongargarh, a remote village in Chhattisgarh, Modi launched ‘Rurban Mission’ amid his assertion that his Government is for the poor, dalits and other oppressed sections of the society.
He also launched the ‘Jan Aushadhi Medical Store’ campaign under which 100 generic medicines stores will be opened at Government district hospitals and community health centres.
“This Government is for the poor, dalits, adhivasis, oppressed and deprived sections of the society. It is for the person standing in the last row,” he said.
Listing out various schemes including Swacch Bharat and Rurban Mission, Modi said these are all aimed at bringing positive changes in the lives of the poor people. “This is the only way that will benefit the country and we have started marching on this path,” he said.
Noting that the ‘Rurban Mission’ was aimed at curbing migration of youth from villages to cities, he targeted the previous dispensations, saying nobody had thought about planning and providing facilities even as urban areas continued to expand and slum clusters continued to come up because of migration.
While launching the ambitious scheme in this remote tribal area of Chhattisgarh, Modi said a “huge country” like India cannot have proper economic development unless even the remotest places are developed as growth centres and provided with urban facilities and “good life” like education, healthcare and internet while retaining the “rural spirit”.
Under the ‘Rurban Mission’, he said 300 rural centres, catering to at least four adjoining villages each, will be developed as urban clusters with modern facilities.
100 such centres are targeted to be developed this year itself, he said at the event which was also attended by Chief Minister Raman Singh and Union Rural Development Minister Birendra Singh among others. (PTI)
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