PM Modi accuses Congress of nurturing militancy
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 01 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress of "nurturing and encouraging militancy in Manipur".

Addressing an election rally in Manipur virtually from Delhi, PM Modi hit out at the Congress accusing it of the instability, backwardness and corruption in Manipur.

He said people would not support the party again in this election.

"In the first round of assembly elections in Manipur (on Monday), people gave their blessings to the BJP.

With the enormous support in the second round of elections, the people would facilitate the double engine government in Manipur".

The Prime Minister said that the people of Manipur sacrificed for India's Independence, but the Congress did not give any importance to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the other freedom fighters even as the Indian National Army first hoisted the national flag in Manipur's Moirang.

The Prime Minister said that Manipur will be the export and international gateway of India and the state would be connected to the Asian and European countries through the Asian Highway project.

The Prime Minister said that under the Act East policy, the north-eastern states would be linked with the Asian countries to boost trade and business.

Addressing an election rally in Manipur virtually from Delhi, Modi said that the under construction India's first Sports University in Manipur would be made an international institute.

He said an AIIMS and a Skill University would be set up in Manipur and added that Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu from Manipur are India's sports iconic personalities.

Modi said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the all round development of the north-eastern region, established a separate ministry - Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) - but the Congress led previous UPA government kept the ministry inactive as they do not want the development of the region.

Saying that to take forward the development of the north-eastern region, Central ministers are frequently visiting the region.

He said Manipur government's "Go to Hills" and "Go to Village" programmes exposed the Congress conspiracies and anti-development agenda.

The Prime Minister also took a dig at the Congress by reviving his jibe from the state's 2017 assembly elections, saying that when Congress was in power in the state their main leader was called "Mr 10 per cent".

While PM Modi didn't directly name the leader, it is being seen as an oblique reference to allegations of corruption against three-time Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

During the run-up to the previous assembly elections, the BJP had accused Ibobi Singh of pocketing 10 per cent from all government projects he approved.

There were also allegations that only those who could pay large sums of money as bribes would get government jobs which amounted to favouring only the 10 per cent who could afford it.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating charges of money laundering and embezzlement of government funds against the former Chief Minister.

He, however, has refuted these allegations.

Taking aim at the grand old party, the PM made several grave allegations of corruption and sectarianism and even accused it of flaming insurgency.

"Congress did not develop Manipur.

It kept Manipur away from peace, encouraged militancy and widened the hill-valley divide in the state.

(Former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee had set up a dedicated department for the northeast but when the UPA came to power in 2004, they made it inactive.

With the weakening of Congress, their divide and rule policy has also weakened in Manipur," the PM added.

He said that the BJP was encouraging its cadre to go to the hills and villages to interact with people, and claimed his party and its allies would return to power with a full majority.

As in his earlier rallies in the state, the PM claimed that bandhs and blockades that hindered the state's development have become a thing of the past during the BJP's rule.

"This is the decade of development and the state is rapidly moving forward towards that," he said.

PM Modi also claimed that it was the BJP-led government that integrated the state into the country's railways network.

"Today, Manipur is known for skill development, startups, and sport," he said and added that the BJP-led government will have a Rs 100 crore plan to encourage startups in the state.

"We will also come up with a Manipur Skill University," he said.

Speaking at the event, CM N Biren exuded confidence that BJP will return to power in Manipur with absolute majority.

In the first phase of election held for 38 constituencies on Monday, 26 to 30 seats will be secured by BJP.

For the second phase election to be conducted for 22 constituencies on March 5, BJP will win around 10-16 seats, he predicted.

Stating that the initiatives taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the people of Manipur should not be forgotten, Biren further claimed that peace and communal harmony has been brought with the coming of BJP government in the state.

While observing that Congress perceived the people as both dispensable and dupable, he maintained that the BJP government did not want an educated thief but a sincere leader despite lacking top educational qualification.

He maintained that the party will always remember the support and co-operation given by the people of the hills in the last five years of governance.

The developmental works in the hills could not be taken up without the support of the people, he continued, while adding that the party believed in overall development, equality and peaceful co-existence.

BJP national and state leaders also attended the virtual address of the Prime Minister at different locations.

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