People chanting ‘Modi tera kamal khilega’: PM hits out at Opposition

“Those who have been rejected by the country, deemed unacceptable by people and find themselves immersed in hopelessness are now chanting ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’. But, people in every nook and corner of India are saying ‘Modi tera kamal khilega’,” the PM said.

“People will give a befitting reply to those who use such offensive language,” he said. Some members of the Congress had on Thursday purportedly raised the controversial slogan after a party leader, Pawan Khera, was deplaned in Delhi from a Raipur-bound flight.

Khera was arrested in connection with an FIR over alleged remarks against the PM, and later released on bail the same day.

At the Shillong rally, Modi asserted that India is scaling new heights of success and Meghalaya is making strong contributions to it.

“Lack of road, rail, and air connectivity had in the past obstructed development in Meghalaya. In the last nine years, however, the BJP government at the Centre has brought about positive changes in the state and the northeastern region… Be it youth, women, traders, or government servants, everyone wants the BJP to be in power in Meghalaya,” the PM said. Assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland are scheduled for February 27 and the votes will be counted on March 2.

Earlier in the day, addressing a joint public rally of the BJP and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland’s Dimapur, Modi said the BJP does not discriminate on the basis of region or religion. “Remember when Covid-19 pandemic spread and the vaccine came, we connected everyone to the vaccine. Everyone was vaccinated without any discrimination. Every scheme of the BJP-led NDA government, be it infrastructure or welfare schemes, is for everyone. There is no discrimination,” he said.

The statement follows repeated assertions by party office-bearers that the BJP is not “anti-Christian” after church bodies expressed discomfort with the BJP’s rise in the state.

The PM accused past Congress governments of treating the northeastern region like “an ATM” and said the BJP considers the eight states in the Northeast as “Ashtalakshmi (eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi)” and is working for their peace and development.

“The BJP and the NDA have completely changed the political thinking in Delhi towards the Northeast. During the Congress’s time, the Northeast was just a place for its leaders to fill their pockets; it always considered the region an ATM, used it like an ATM… The government’s money did not reach the people here but the treasury of corrupt parties… Ten years ago, no one would have dreamt that conditions could change in the Northeast. But with the help of technology, the BJP has struck a big blow to corruption. Today, all the money sent from Delhi is reaching your bank accounts… Not one rupee is leaked anywhere,” he said.

He said the NDA government is working towards completely withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Nagaland.

“In the last nine years, many young people have left the path of violence… There has been around 75% reduction in violent incidents in Nagaland. AFSPA has been removed from various parts of Nagaland. We are working day and night to ensure there is no need for AFSPA in all of Nagaland. Permanent peace and prosperity in Nagaland is the pillar of the BJP’s politics. Border disputes are also being resolved rapidly… On March 2, after a government is made again, there will be even stronger action against extortionists,” he said.

Speaking at the rally, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the settlement of Nagaland political issue is “at the top of their agenda”. The Prime Minister, however, did not mention the matter in his address.

He said the BJP has been working on bridging the gap between Nagaland and the Centre.