POLL-SNIPPETS: 'Corrupt' Cong overlooked needs of poor, I ended party's licence to loot: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the opposition Congress, accusing it of overlooking the needs of the poor for decades since Independence and never feeling their pain. He also said the Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections has the imprint of the Muslim League.

India's borders have become safer under PM Modi: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that during Narendra Modi's tenure as prime minister, India's borders have become safer and respect for the country has increased in the world.

Speaking at a rally at Hinganghat town in Maharashtra's Wardha district, the UP CM asked the Congress if it could ever assemble the resolve to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and abolish 'triple talaq'. Under PM Modi's leadership, the NDA govt wants to make India a global power, Adityanath said.

The opposition, on the other hand, neither has a "neta" (leader) nor "niti"(policy) nor "niyat" (intention) to take the country on the path of development, he claimed. "During Modi's tenure as PM, the country's borders have become safer, respect for India has increased in world. Its passport has more power now," he said.

Adityanath said PM Modi was working on the 'Hindavi Swarajya' ideology of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to ensure citizens, especially daughters, of the country are protected, its "aradhyadev" (deities) are respected and development reaches great heights.

Speaking about his government, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh has a population of 25 crore and was known for riots and curfew before the BJP came to power in 2017. "Today, we have locked up curfew itself. There have been no riots in UP in the last seven years. In Maharashtra, three saints were killed in Palghar (during the COVID lockdown). No one dare do this in UP because they know they will be hung upside down," Adityanath said.

He hailed Modi for "giving Ram Lalla a place in Ayodhya after 500 years", a reference to the construction of the Ram Temple there. "People used to play Holi by singing that Ram Lalla was playing Holi. After 500 years, Lord Ram actually played Holi in Ayodhya this year (due to temple construction)," he said.

BJP president Nadda targets Cong for 'appeasement' politics

Accusing the Congress of pursuing appeasement politics and working against the majority community, BJP chief JP Nadda on Monday asked the opposition party to make it clear as to who it intends to benefit by promising to raise the reservation cap from 50 per cent.

In a statement, Nadda echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that the Congress' manifesto bears the imprint of the Muslim League, which had spearheaded the pre-independence movement for Pakistan. The League had worked for reservation on religion lines in 1929 and the Congress is doing the same, he alleged.

"The Congress manifesto is a blueprint for division, a blatant replica of Jinnah's Muslim League agenda. By prioritising appeasement politics over national unity, the Congress seeks to perpetuate division," the BJP president alleged. People have repeatedly rejected the Congress but it is determined to pursue appeasement politics and divide the country in its greed for power, he alleged.

He claimed the Congress-led UPA government had mulled a law against the majority community, a reference to Hindus, and it continues to work against them. "India has rejected such divisive politics before and will do so again. The BJP stands firm against this dangerous path to polarisation and remains committed to inclusive governance for all," he said.

The country has not forgiven the Congress for its "divisive tactics and appeasement politics" and is unlikely to do so in the future, he said.

DMK, Cong owe explanation on Katchatheevu: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Monday sought an explanation from the DMK and Congress about "ceding" Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka in 1974 and asked the parties to "come out clean" on the issue. 
  
Taking exception to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakur asked why Stalin was "shivering" at the prospect of Modi's visit to the state.
 
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Thakur commented that on the one hand, the Prime Minister was giving a lot to the fishermen including subsidies, policies, and programmes but on the other hand the DMK and Congress have given away Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.
 
"They should come out open and respond to this. Who is responsible for giving Katchatheevu to Lanka? Why are the DMK and Congress silent on this? Why have they given an important piece of land to Sri Lanka and hurt the sentiments of fishermen and Tamils," Thakur asked. 

The chief minister's statements on Modi showed how "nervous" he was over Modi coming to Tamil Nadu. "Why is he shivering? He must be happy over the visit because the people of Tamil Nadu love the prime minister who loves Tamil Nadu, its rich culture, tradition history," the minister said. 

He recalled that the Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organised and the Sengol was installed in the new parliament building and counted them among the numerous instances of Modi's "love for the state and its people".

Going by the response from the people throughout the country, the BJP will easily win 400-plus seats this time, Thakur said in reply to a question. 

"People want to see Modi become prime minister for the third consecutive term so that India becomes the third largest economy in the world," he said, and added that it was because people want progress and want the poor to come out of poverty. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to take action against corruption after June 4, stating that the BJP's "Modi ki Guarantee" implies imprisoning opposition leaders post-elections.

Addressing a rally in Bankura, the TMC chief accused the "BJP of turning the entire country into jail and urged wives of TMC leaders to hit the streets if their men are arrested ahead of the polls". Results of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections from April 19 to June 1 will be announced on June 4.

Continuing her tirade against the central agency, Banerjee alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had gone to Bhupatinagar in Purba Medinipur district without informing the local police. "The Prime Minister is coming to West Bengal to address election rallies. I have no issues with that. But the way he is saying that stern action will be taken against the opposition over corruption after the Lok Sabha poll results is unacceptable," she said.

Modi, while addressing an election rally in Jalpaiguri on Sunday, had claimed that while he says "remove corruption", the opposition says "save the corrupt", promising more stringent action against the corrupt after June 4. "Is this how a Prime Minister should speak? What if I say I will put BJP leaders in jail after the election? But I will not say this as this is unacceptable in a democracy," she said.

"This is actually 'Modi ki guarantee', putting all opposition leaders in jail after June 4," Banerjee alleged, adding that the BJP has "in reality turned the country and democracy into a jail."