Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Opposition bloc, I.N.D.I.A, and said that the parties in the alliance are only concerned about their respective families. Nadda was speaking during the inauguration of the 'Meri Mati Mera Desh' programme in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.
Speaking about the Mumbai meeting of the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A., which took place on August 31 and September 1, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to take the nation forward, and those parties who got together in Mumbai yesterday only want to take their families forward.
"The ones who had gathered in Mumbai yesterday are all those people who want to take their own families forward, whereas PM Modi wants to take the country forward," Nadda said.
"Lalu Prasad Yadav is concerned about Tejashwi, Akhilesh Yadav is concerned about Dimple, and Sonia Gandhi is concerned about Rahul. What sort of national party? They have become parties of families. Whom is Uddhav bothered about, Maharashtra or Aditya? Why was there a split in Sharad Pawar’s NCP? It was because of the family. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is for her nephew and not for West Bengal," Nadda said.
Nadda also took a dig at the previous Congress government at the Centre and said, "Nine years ago, when I used to say 2G, there used to be a different image that used to come to mind. It was not of connectivity but of corruption. Today, when I say 5 G, it's about growth and development".
Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday took a dig at the Centre over its push for 'One Nation, One Election' and said, "They are talking about 'One Nation, One Election'. Later, they will say 'One Nation, One Leader', 'One Nation, One Party' and 'One Nation, One Religion' and so on".
The leaders in the INDIA bloc met in Mumbai on Friday and made several announcements in line with its common cause to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre at next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking on the 'Meri Maati, Mera Desh' campaign, the BJP president said, "The Meri Maati, Mera Desh' is the call of the countrymen. We are in 'Amrit Kaal' (golden phase) and this campaign will help us realise our commitment to making India a developed country."
"Our government has decided to collect the 'mitti' (soil) and rice grains from households of every martyr, from 7,500 blocks and 500 municipalities, in 'kalash' (earthen pitchers or pots). In time, 8,000 such pitchers will reach Lucknow where they will be received by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. By the end of October, it will reach the Kartavya Path in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will put soil from these pitchers in the Amrit Vatika (garden) developed to honour our 'veers' (bravehearts)," Nadda added.
Earlier, on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' under the 'Meri Mati-Mera Desh' campaign, saying "It is not just a programme, but a medium to connect oneself with the future of the country". The BJP chief added, "Through the work that we put in over the last 9 years, India became the fifth-largest global economy. When it comes to the automobile industry, we are ahead of Japan."
Hailing the country's successful lunar landing mission, Nadda said, "I commend our scientists for making us the first country to land on the moon's South Pole."