‘Those not in senses terming youth nasheri’
VARANASI, Feb 23: In a relentless attack on the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it was instigating people in the name of caste and making them fight and also hit out at Rahul Gandhi for his “drunk men” on Varanasi roads remark, saying those not in their senses are terming the youth “nasheri”.
On a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, Modi spoke at a function to commemorate the 647th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas, interacted with winners of the ‘Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita’ at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and inaugurated and laid the foundation of several projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore before addressing a public meeting.
Noting that Varanasi has made him a ‘Banarasi’ during his 10-year stint as its MP, Modi pledged his commitment towards improving the lives of the people of Kashi.
At the rally, he said, “Members of Congress’ ‘shahi-parivar’ are calling the youth of Varanasi ‘nasheri’ (intoxicated),” without naming Gandhi.
“Those who are not in ‘hosh’ (senses) themselves are calling the youth ‘nasheri’,” he added.
Gandhi had recently said that in Varanasi he observed some youths inebriated, lying on the streets, and dancing at night. The future of youths of Uttar Pradesh is intoxicated, he had said.
“They have spent two decades abusing Modi and are now venting their frustration on youths. Those who are not in their senses themselves are calling children of my Kashi drug addicts. No one will forget this insult of the youngsters of Uttar Pradesh by the INDI alliance,” Modi said.
He went on to say, “They also don’t like the new form of Ayodhya and Kashi at all. See what kind of things they say about Ram Temple in their speeches. I did not know Congress had such hatred towards Lord Ram.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief Sonia Gandhi and the party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary had turned down the invitation for the consecration ceremony at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“They cannot think and look beyond their family and their vote bank. That is why they come together during every election and when the results are not in their favour, they abuse and separate from each other,” Modi said.
He then claimed that the Opposition’s “trick” will not work in Uttar Pradesh this time as the people have realised it the same thing with a new packaging.
They will have to struggle to even save their electoral deposits from getting forfeited, he said, adding Uttar Pradesh has decided to give all the seats to NDA and “the third term of Modi will be the grandest phase of capabilities of India in the world”.
Hinting at a third consecutive victory, Modi said, “This time the entire country has one mood. Abki Baar…Abki bar… Abki bar.” The crowd responded “Modi Sarkar”.
At the event on Ravidas, Modi launched a scathing attack on the INDIA bloc, saying the allies believe in instigating people in the name of caste and making them fight.
He also said the opposition leaders cannot “tolerate” Dalits and tribal people occupying high posts and cited the presidential election which was contested by Droupadi Murmu.
“In every era, the sermons of the saints show us the path and also alert us. In our country, whenever anybody indulges in discrimination in the name of caste, it damages humanity.”
“If someone instigates (others) in the name of caste, it also damages humanity. Hence, brothers and sisters, today every Dalit and backward of the country has to keep in mind that the ‘INDI gathbandhan’, which believes in instigating and making people fight in the name of caste, opposes the schemes meant for the welfare of the Dalits and ‘vanchit’ (deprived),” he said.
The prime minister further said the truth is that these people indulge in the politics of vested interest of the family in the name of the welfare of castes.
“When the construction of toilets was started, they ridiculed it. They also mocked Jan Dhan accounts and opposed Digital India.
“Not only this, these ‘parivarvaadi’ (dynastic) parties have another identity – they do not want any Dalit or tribal person outside their families to move ahead. They cannot tolerate Dalits and tribal persons occupying high posts,” Modi said.
“You must know that when Droupadi Murmu, the first woman tribal president, was contesting elections, who all opposed her and which parties came together to defeat her.
“It was all the ‘parivarvaadi’ parties who see Dalits, tribal people and backwards as their vote bank during the elections. We have to remain alert to these people and such a mindset. We have to follow the positive education of Ravidas ji while avoiding the negative mentality of casteism,” he said.
The projects inaugurated by Modi or whose foundation were laid included multiple roads, a cooking gas bottling plant, a milk processing unit, and a silk fabric printing common facility centre for weavers.
He also laid the foundation of a new medical college and the National Centre of Ageing at BHU and inaugurated a statue of Sant Ravidas..
In his address at the university, Modi said India will become a model of development in five years, terming it a “Modi guarantee”, and cited the Kashi example to say the world is witnessing how modernity is developed around culture and tradition.
“Kashi is now being seen as a model of development and heritage across the world. The world is witnessing today how modernity is developed around culture and tradition,” he said.
Referring to the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya, Modi said, “Today, the world is seeing that after the installation of Ram Lalla’s new grand idol, Ayodhya is flourishing like Kashi.”
Similarly, the sites associated with Lord Buddha are being developed and an international airport has been constructed in Kushinagar, he said.
Modi also praised the Sanskrit language and said it played a key role in the development of knowledge, science and spirituality. (PTI)
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