AAP, Cong fuelling anti-CAA protests for vote bank politics, says Modi
Launching a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused them of fuelling the anti-CAA stir in Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia Islamia and Seelampur for vote bank politics.
He said the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Shaheen Bagh — the epicentre of the stir in Delhi and other areas — are not a coincidence but an “experiment” and a political conspiracy to destroy the country’s harmony.
Addressing his first rally here ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls scheduled for February 8, at Karkardooma, the PM said Delhi’s ruling AAP and the Congress are provoking people and spreading canards and asked voters to back the BJP because Delhi could not be left to anarchists.
They were keeping the Constitution and tricolour in the forefront, but the aim is to “divert attention from the real conspiracy”, Modi said.
“As long as it (AAP) stays in power, it will continue to create roadblocks to development. You have seen a lot. Now you are left with only one option. That’s why the BJP needs to come to power in Delhi,” said the PM.
Referring to the protest in Shaheen Bagh, he said people commuting to and from Noida are facing a lot of problems. The people of Delhi are quiet and they are angry watching this vote bank politics, he said. “If the strength of those plotting a conspiracy increases, then another road or lane will be blocked. We can’t leave Delhi to such anarchy. Only people of Delhi can stop this. Every vote given to the BJP can do this,” Modi said in his nearly one-hour-long speech in Karkardooma in East Delhi.
“In the India of 21st century, politics of hate will not work. Only politics of development will,” he added.
Modi said the Supreme Court and the High Court have expressed their dissatisfaction over the violence during protests and the destruction of property.
“But these people don’t care about courts. They don’t accept what the court says but talk about the Constitution,” he said. In December, several parts of the national Capital witnessed widespread protests against the CAA.
Modi also took a swipe at the Congress, saying those who questioned the Batla House encounter in the capital are now saving those who raised “tukde tukde” slogans.
Blaming the AAP for blocking the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Delhi, Modi said it would continue to block all positive moves.
Modi also slammed the AAP leader and Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, and said he questioned the Army on surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (POK) in 2016.
Modi listed out a series of measures taken by his Government to address the issues of the national Capital, touching on national issues like the revocation of special provisions of Article 370, construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and bringing in the CAA for persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, saying these were unaddressed issues for decades as the previous Governments did not work on the same.
“Our Opposition says, Modi ji, why are you working so fast, why are you taking such big decisions. But, the problems of many decades need to be solved for the country to move faster. This is what people of the country want and this is the mandate which we are following,” he stated.
Referring to the Lok Sabha elections, Modi said, “BJP was strengthened by the people of Delhi, who gave all seven Lok Sabha seats to BJP. Their vote helped in changing the fortunes of this country.”
Modi said, “This time, your vote will change the fortunes of Delhi, and make the city clean, safe and modern.”
Modi recalled glorious history and struggle of people who settled in Delhi after partition.
“Delhi has earned a name in the world because of hardwork of its people, “But for the last two decades, the city is being run by people who never let the wave of 21st century touch the city,” said PM?Modi, also targeting Congress.
Modi also mentioned about various aspects of the Union Budget favouring youth, businessmen and traders inDelhi.
“In this Budget, it has also been taken care that middle-class taxpayers have more money to save.” “The Government has now given the option of a new slab of tax. This slab is also simple and there is no pressure to invest in certain schemes only to save tax.” “There was a complaint from traders of the country, including Delhi, that they face pressure from tax authorities. So we started an Indirect Tax Settlement Scheme last year. After this, there was a demand that such a scheme be started for Direct Taxes. In this budget, we fulfilled this.”
While BJP has concluded its mass campaigning with more than 4000 small meeting to reach out every corner of the city, Modi’s back to back rallies are master stroke when polling date is just few days away in Delhi.
