Agra (Uttar Pradesh): PM Narendra Modi addressed his first public rally of 2019 in the state after inaugurating several development projects in the region. He seized the opportunity to laud his government for bringing the Quota bill which will give 10 percent reservation to the economically poor among upper castes.  Responding to Opposition parties who are questioning the timing of the Bill, the prime minister said the matter would have been raised earlier as well since no season in the country goes without elections. "People asked why I brought the quota before elections. Tell me if we have 6 months in the country without any elections taking place?"


All other quota benefits for other castes will stay; Modi asserted new bill will not affect them.

Fending off allegations from Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale deal issue, Modi referring to the documents from Christian Michel, an accused in  the AgustaWestland deal, AgustaWestland deal."This Michel mama was lobbying for some other company's aircraft. What is the connection of the noise Congress leaders are making with Michel. Shouldn't they answer it? Won't the Chowkidar ask this? Wasn't because of this Michel mama, the Rafale deal was stalled?"

Modi said Rahul Gandhi insulted women with remark on Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Congress president Rahul today said the prime minister got a woman to defend him in Parliament.

Slamming the alliance of Mayawati's BSP and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi said "political rivals who did not even like to see each other are now coming together just to oppose us."

PROJECTS LAUNCHED BY PM NARENDRA MODI IN AGRA

  • PM Modi launched civic projects worth Rs 2,980 crore during his visit to the city.

  • He launched the Gangajal project to provide better and more assured water supply and also laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Command and Control Centre for the Agra Smart City project.The smart city project is meant to develop the tourism destination as a modern world-class city, reported PTI. The Gangajal programme will provide Agra with better water supply, benefiting both the residents of the city as well as tourists, officials said.

  • The SN Medical College in Agra will be upgraded with a 100-bed maternity wing.


'HOPE PM LEARNS LESSON OF AFFECTION AND LOVE'

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed hope that Modi would learn a lesson from his visit to the city of Taj. "Hope the PM will return from Taj Mahal after learning a lesson of affection and love from it," he tweeted hours before the prime minister's visit. Yadav also said he hoped that Modi will remember the pain of farmers growing potato, sugarcane and wheat in nearby areas. "UP was never so far from Delhi that the country's head did not have news about the plight of farmers and traders," he added.