Congress manifesto is full of lies: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to script his criticism of opposition parties around the nationalism narrative, as he called the Congress’ manifesto a ‘document of lies’.

He criticised the ruling Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal as a ‘bua-bhatija sarkar’ (aunt-nephew duo). The reference  was to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, who Modi alleged was “looting the State”.

Scripting his nationalism narrative across back-to-back rallies in Siliguri (600 km from Kolkata) and in the city’s historic Brigade Parade Ground, Modi criticised “dynastic politics” and how “one dynasty had drained the country of the meritorious” with its corrupt policies.

The Congress’ election manifesto, he pointed out, was a dhakosla patra or a document of lies that sought to “demoralise the armed forces” by seeking to dilute the law that protects armed forces in affected areas.

“The Congress’ manifesto is a document of lies. It seeks to dilute laws that protects our armed forces. Removing this will actually help Pakistan,” Modi told the crowd at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground, setting the tone of his speech for the next 30-odd minutes.

The Congress through its dynastic rule had “ruined the country” just like the ‘aunt-nephew duo’ of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek was doing here in Bengal over the last seven years.

“It is time to end this misrule of the Trinamool too. The bua-bhatija ki sarkar is looting the State,” he alleged.

Modi alleged that some opposition parties were becoming “anti-India”. “From being Modi haters, some of the opposition parties are taking an anti-India stand,” Modi said at Brigade, adding that by questioning the veracity of the surgical strikes and air strikes in Balakot, the opposition was demeaning the armed forces.

“Our forces are carrying out surgical strikes on land and in air. And the meritorious scientists have indigenously developed an anti-satellite missiles to take on spy satellites. But the opposition is ready to discredit all of that. Why is it so?” the PM said.

In Siliguri, the PM said: “Didi (Mamata Banerjee) sitting in Kolkata was more pained by the air strikes at Balakot.”

Anti-development barb

Earlier at the Siliguri rally, Modi had spent a substantial part of it highlighting the pro-poor development and social welfare schemes his government has come up with. It was at this point, he criticised Banerjee as a ‘speed breaker to development’ whose brand of politics was ‘anti-poor’.

Flagship central government schemes auch as the Ayushman Bharat health scheme and the PM Kissan Samman Yojana — cash benefits to farmers — were cited as the ones which the ruling Trinamool Congress has stalled here.

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