In Himachal Pradesh, PM Narendra Modi’s twin attack targets Congress on corruption, loan waiver

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PM Modi, who has been a target of a sharp campaign by the opposition led by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over the Rafale fighter jet deal, said people were calling him names because his crackdown on corruption had hurt them.

On a visit to Himachal Pradesh to mark one year of the BJP government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of deceiving farmers with promises of loan waivers and vowed to continue the crackdown against corruption.

PM Modi, who has been a target of a sharp campaign by the opposition led by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over the Rafale fighter jet deal, said people were calling him names because his crackdown on corruption had hurt them.

“If the loot had to stop, will they call Modi a thief or not,” PM Modi asked his audience at a rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Dharamshala to mark completion of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur first year.

“They are scared of the watchman. They are losing sleep that the watchman is not ready to sleep… is not ready spare them… This is the problem. With your blessings, we will overcome these problems too and move forward,” the PM Modi said. The remark is seen as a counter to Rahul Gandhi’s repeated effort to accuse PM Modi of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal during the just-concluded state elections.

PM Modi did not name the Congress as his target for most parts of his hour-long speech but left no one in doubt who he had in mind. He also cautioned farmers against people who make false promises about loan waivers and underlined that political parties should not make promises that they could not keep.

“Only those promises should be made which can be fulfilled honestly and not just to win elections,” PM Modi said.

Modi said the previous UPA government which had come up with a debt waiver plan before the 2009 elections had finally taken care of less than 10 per cent of the 6 lakh crore farm debt. It had cost the government Rs 52,000 crore and most of it did not reach farmers who really needed the money.

Similar promises were also made during Punjab elections but farmers have not got even a single penny, he said adding that in Karnataka too, nothing significant had happened on this front.

The BJP-led national coalition, he said, had given Rs 12,000 crore to soldiers in four instalments under the One Rank, One Pension scheme.

“For the last 40 years, this country’s soldier was demanding the One Rank, One Pension scheme. The then government fooled our soldiers and kept only Rs 500 crore for it. When we came to power, I called for the file and officers were left stunned.”

“We realised there was Rs 12,000 crore required for it. It’s difficult for the government to take out Rs 12,000 crore in one go so I called soldiers and asked them to take it in four-five instalments and they agreed. Today I am happy, we gave it in four instalments,” he said.

The Congress, he said, had sinned when it lied to soldiers and farmers.

Congratulating the Himachal government for completing one year in power, Modi appreciated the initiatives taken by Jai Ram Thakur-led regime to reach out to common masses.

Remembering his days as the BJP’s in-charge of Himachal Pradesh, PM Modi said whenever he comes to the state it feels like a homecoming.