Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with BJP booth workers in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, June 27. His address to over 10 lakh grassroots workers of the party comes ahead of the assembly elections in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh this year and also ahead of the much-awaited 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started its campaign in full swing for 2024 with the Prime Minister giving a clarion call to party workers for door-to-door outreach. The focus on Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is crucial in this regard considering the party’s recent defeat in Karnataka. PM Modi’s speech in Bhopal can be seen as an indicator of the BJP’s focus for 2024. Here are the key points made by the Prime Minister in his address:
On Uniform Civil Code
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the subject of UCC saying how can the country be run by two laws. Hitting out at critics, he said people are being instigated in the name of the Uniform Civil Code.
Speaking about equal rights, the PM said, “Indian Constitution speaks about equal rights for citizens. They (The opposition) blame us (the BJP govt) but these very people make hue and cry about Muslims. If they would have truly supported Muslims, then most Muslim families would not have been deprived of education, and employment.”
PM Modi also mentioned the Supreme Court’s directions to implement UCC while accusing the opposition of vote bank politics. Recently, the law commission released a notice asking citizens for their input on the Uniform Civil Code.
On Pasmanda Muslims
Furthering his attack on the Opposition, PM Modi said that Pasmanda Muslims were victims of Opposition’s vote bank politics.
“Pashmanda Muslims’ lives have been made difficult by those who do vote bank politics in the country, they are not treated equally. They have been exploited by members of their own community,” PM Modi said.
"Pashmanda Muslims' lives have been made difficult by those who do vote bank politics in the country, they are not treated equally. They have been exploited by members of their own community," says PM Modi in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/3jwynudOQV
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
The BJP has been reaching out to Pasmanda Muslims in order to tap into the majority Muslim vote bank which comprises Dalit Muslims and backward-caste Muslims.
PM Modi on Triple Talaq
In his response to woman booth workers, PM Modi came down heavily on supporters of Triple Talaq. He said, “Those who are supporting the triple talaq are doing grave injustice to Muslim daughters.”
He said that Triple Talaq not only harms daughters but also breaks families and society at large. “If Triple Talaq was related to Islam then no Muslim country in the world would have banned Triple Talaq. Many Muslim-majority countries have banned the practice. Egypt is a Sunni majority nation where Triple Talaq was banned 80 to 90 years ago.”
#WATCH | "Those who are supporting the triple talaq are doing grave injustice to Muslim daughters," says PM Modi while interacting with booth workers in Bhopal pic.twitter.com/v7OwDoG1Vm
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
The practice of instant triple talaq was banned in India in 2017 and the ban was upheld by the Supreme Court.
On Opposition’s joint meeting in Patna
The all-party opposition meeting found a mention all thanks to PM Modi’s address. A group of opposition leaders met in Patna on June 23 when India was making headlines with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to the United States.
Speaking about the same, Modi said, “All the corrupts joined their hands in Patna’s meeting. Opposition is trying to escape the anti-scam crackdown. The corrupt leaders are trying to save each other. My guarantee is I will not spare any of them and I will take every scamster to task.”
"All the corrupts joined their hands in Patna's meeting. Opposition is trying to escape the anti-scam crackdown. The corrupt leaders are trying to save each other. My guarantee is I will not spare any of them and I will take every scamster to task," says PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/LkWtDdPyOw
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
PM Modi trained guns at the Congress and its seasonal allies for the several graft cases to their credit. “If they have the guarantee of scams and corruption then I also have one guarantee for all of you and it is I will not spare any of those who are involved in the corruption…Today when action is being taken against them (Opposition), they are coming together and forming unity.”
In a fierce attack on the Congress party, he said, “We (BJP) are not among those who run parties and issue fatwas sitting in AC rooms. We are those people who go from village to village in every weather, in every situation, and expend ourselves among the people.” He further said that the opposition is furious because BJP is going to win the 2024 elections.
On National Education Policy
PM underlined the significance of practical education which goes beyond the walls of the schools as mentioned in the new NEP. He said that the newly-formed National Education Policy focuses on the same skill-based learning.
He urged booth workers to get involved in ensuring the implementation of such practical education.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi speaks on the new education policy of India while interacting with the booth workers in Bhopal pic.twitter.com/xKVxd0r9vM
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
PM Modi on farmers
PM Modi hit out at the previous UPA govt for making hollow promises to farmers. He said the Congress rule only gave drought to farmers, and helped middlemen fill their pockets. “Cong kept announcing subsidies but that never materialised on the ground. In fact, most small farmers didn’t even have bank accounts. Today BJP is reaching out to farmers door-to-door. Over 2 lakh crore has been deposited into farmers’ bank accounts. We spent more than 2 lakh crore so that farmers would get affordable fertilizer. Indian farmers get urea for less than 270 rupees because the BJP govt is bearing this responsibility.”
He said that India has come up from being the 10th largest economy in the world to the 5th largest global economy.
Mega infrastructure push by the NDA government
The Prime Minister flagged off five Vande Bharat Express trains in Bhopal namely: Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express; Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express; Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express; Dharwad Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express; Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat Express.
PM Modi said, “I congratulate the people of Madhya Pradesh for getting two Vande Bharat Express trains today. The journey from Bhopal to Jabalpur will be faster and more comfortable now. Vande Bharat train will boost connectivity in the state.”
#WATCH | "I congratulate the people of Madhya Pradesh for getting two Vande Bharat Express trains today. The journey from Bhopal to Jabalpur will be faster and more comfortable now. Vande Bharat train will boost connectivity in the state," says PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/kjO41OgbkY
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
BJP’s Goal 2047
PM in his address laid out his government’s plan to celebrate 100 years of India’s independence. “We want to make India a developed nation till 2047 when India will celebrate 100 years of independence and our country will become a developed country only when our villages will develop…Every booth worker of BJP should work towards making their booth strong and developed.”
#WATCH | "We want to make India a developed nation till 2047 when India will celebrate 100 years of Independence and our country will become a developed country only when our villages will develop…Every booth worker of BJP should work towards making their booth strong and… pic.twitter.com/PzJkiQG4gw
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023
PM Modi called upon the party workers to begin work on the same lines by way of addressing development issues like water, electricity, housing, green energy, financial empowerment, equal education for boys and girls, and more.
