NDA will form govt in Punjab, free it from drugs: Modi
Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Feb, 2022 12:55 PM
Jalandhar, Feb 14 (IANS) Promising to work on the teachings of Sikh gurus with principles of non-discrimination and equality for all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the NDA would form the government in Punjab and would free the state from drugs.
"You might have everything, including money and property, but if your son becomes a drug-addict, what will you do with money and property? I am indebted to Punjab and I want to make the state 'nasha mukt'. This battle is for you," Modi said at an election rally here, his first after the major security breach during his visit to the state last month.
Slamming the Congress for allegedly instigating the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Modi said, "Our government formed an SIT (special investigation team) to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. But the Congress gave high posts to the accused. The Congress is under the control of a family. As long as the family rules the Congress, Punjab will never benefit."
Praising former Congress leader and two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who was sitting next to the Prime Minister at the rally, Modi said, "Captain (Amarinder Singh) worked in collaboration with the Union government under the federal system, but they (Congress) sent him home. The Congress is being punished for its sins as you can see the fate of this party now. They are fighting among themselves."
Also missing no opportunity to take a jibe at BJP's former alliance partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Prime Minister said, "There was a time when SAD was not having absolute majority and with BJP's support, it could form the government.
"But SAD did not pick a Deputy CM from the BJP and Badal sahib (Parkash Singh Badal) chose his son as Deputy CM, but we stayed with them because we wanted Punjab's development."
The policies of the Congress have destroyed the industries in Punjab, where unemployment is at its peak, and this condition can only change with an NDA government in the state, Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said that 70 per cent sports goods are manufactured in Jalandhar, but the Congress never talked about 'Vocal for Local' to support these manufacturers.
Batting for the need for a 'new Punjab' to build a 'new India', Modi said, "For a new Bharat, we need a 'Naya Punjab' (new Punjab), in which there will be no place for corruption or 'mafia raaj'."
Modi also questioned the security arrangements of the state government, saying, "I wanted to pay obeisance at the Devi Talab Mandir, but the police administration asked me to go back by helicopter. This is the state of affairs of the Punjab government."
Reiterating the need for a double-engine government for development, Modi said the state "needs a double-engine government (Centre and state) for the unprecedented development of Punjab".
"Twenty-three lakh Punjab farmers are getting PM Kisan payment directly in their accounts. We provided pesticides and fertilisers at a lower rate than the global market. We'll also work on natural and organic farming," he said.
While launching the vision card for Delhi for the next 25 years, Kejriwal said the initiative is to prepare a roadmap for the development of the city in all sectors, including health and education.
The journalists body also sought issuance of guidelines on surveillance on Indian citizens and safeguarding them from electronic surveillance, spying and hacking.
In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lower House, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, said that three cases have been registered by the Delhi Police in connection with the violent attacks on students and some teachers on the JNU campus last year.
The 79-year-old Governor's actions "led to outrage" at the Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers of all three allies - Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - present.
Incessant rains last week coupled with huge volumes of water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have led to flood-like situation in seven districts of West Bengal, leaving at least 8 dead and displacing over 3 lakh people from their homes in the last four days.
The government is implementing market information system where the prices of vegetables are collected through Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis and disseminated for its use by the farmers through Agmarknet portal, mobile applications etc. for better price realisation, he said.
