Congress can't stomach India's progress: Modi

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday used the Balakot airstrikes and shooting down of a satellite in space to project himself as the ever-alert watchman of India’s interests, and the Congress as a petty-minded Opposition party that can’t stomach India’s successes, even as he pitched for a second successive term for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre.

Kicking off his campaign for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh with a public rally at Aalo in West Siang district, Mr Modi said that the Congress is “synonymous with corruption”.

Targeting the Opposition, Mr Modi asked voters, “When the country makes significant achievements, don’t you feel happy? Everyone, irrespective of their social and financial status, regales at India’s success stories. There are, however, some who feel disheartened by India’s growth and success.”

Referring to the Balakot airstrikes, the Prime Minister said, “India attacked terrorists in their own home for the first time but the Congress is disturbed. The entire world stands with India but Congress is unhappy. Now that India walks along with the powers of the world, the Congress is unhappy.”

“Even when our scientists made achievements, they found excuses to belittle them,” he said, urging people to punish the Opposition parties in the upcoming elections.

Highlighting various development projects in Arunachal, Mr Modi took credit for bring Arunachal on the country’s railway map and fulfilling the dream of the local people seven decades after Independence.

During his two public rallies in Assam, the Prime Minister invoked his humble background to strike a chord with tea estate workers, saying that only a “chaiwala” (tea seller) can understand the pain of fellow “chailwalas” and slammed the Congress for the infiltration problem in the state.

“The NDA government has taken initiatives to open bank accounts of tea garden workers and lakhs of families in the tea belt have received '5,000 as aid in two installments,” he said at Gohapur, reaching out to the tea tribe that constitutes nearly 35 per cent of Assam’s total electorate.

Targeting the Congress, Mr Modi said Assam and the rest of the Northeast are suffering from infiltration due to the policies of the Congress and asserted that he, as the “chowkidar”, was committed to resolve the issue.

“The government is committed to protect the rights, culture and interests of the indigenous people of this region,” he said.

At a rally in Assam’s Moran, he blamed the Congress for keeping the country backward and presenting image of an impoverished nation to the world. He said that the Congress serves “only one family” and is not concerned about the progress of the country.

Countering the Congress’ “chowkidar chor hai” (watchman is a thief) campaign, he said, “The Opposition is scared of the chowkidar people trust.”

The Prime Minister also paid tribute to legendary musician Bhupen Hazarika.

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