Recently the Congress released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls 2019, which was termed as a ‘dhakosala-patra’ (blandishment) by the Prime Minister.
Apart from the much-talked of NYAY scheme which ensured minimum income to all the poor people in the country, the Congress has included reviewing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) among other promises, a point that has triggered vehement criticism from the BJP.
When ABP News quizzed Prime Minister Modi to know why he felt that the manifesto was more of blandishment or an attempt to appease the voters, he said that he was expecting a mature manifesto from the grand old party that has governed the country for sixty years.
"Expected a mature manifesto"
“From a party that has governed the country for more than 60 years, a party that has a vast experience and has many veterans with it, a party that been in governance, that knows how the government functions, government’s limitations and resources, and also understands how other countries of the world are progressing, it was but natural to expect a mature manifesto,” said the PM.
He said their manifesto has brought a lot of disappointment. It would have been in healthy spirit for democracy if they brought a manifesto, even better than BJP’s, but they opted for shortcut instead.
"Congress has a track-record of not delivering on its poll-promises"
PM lambasted the Congress party over failing to deliver on its electoral promises and said that it has a track record of making tall promises in manifesto.
“In the five states- Punjab, Karnataka, MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, during the assembly polls, they (Congress) promised in written that they will provide allowance to youth, but none of the five governments have delivered it yet. In 2004, they promised electricity to every house, while after 2014 we have provided electricity to 2.5 crore families and still we are short of our aim. We expect to achieve a lot of that by May-June. They promised direct benefit transfer to farmers, they promised increasing MSP for farmers, but delivered on none of these promises. They have a track record of making tall electoral promises.
On Congress' promise of reviewing AFSPA:
Further, over Congress’ poll promise on AFSPA amendment, he said he was “pained” to see how a party like Congress could speak “so low” on the issues of national security in the manifesto, and offended the army by talking about rape-allegations on them.
He said the “Congress party has insulted country's Army in its manifesto which is in sync with the language that is used by the separatists for our country”.
“It is matter of pride for India that, the discipline of the Indian soldiers in the United Nation’s peace-keeping forces is remarkable. So far not a single complaint has ever been registered against the Indian soldiers , who work for peace-keeping in many countries in hostile situation, including the poorest of nations,” PM said.
On AFSPA, PM said “nobody wants a jail like situation in any state, but the laws should have been constantly reviewed over the years, but sadly they did not do it. In case of improvement in situation, it should be withdrawn, like we did in Arunachal Pradesh. But how the country will run, when they will speak the language of the Tukde-Tukde gang.”
On Congress' promise of removing sedition laws
Over Congress’poll promise of removing sedition laws, PM said that the law must exist, and charges must be framed against people who display anti-nationalistic behavior.
He said: “ It was the same Congress party that had charged over 6000 people in Tamil Nadu under sedition laws, over their protest against nuclear power plant. Today the same party preaches to scrap the law.”
“Will it be acceptable if people freely speak the language of 'Tukde Tukde ganag', if the Tricolour is insulted or if the national song is insulted?” PM said.
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