Archives for May 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday rejected the Congress accusation against his government of not creating enough jobs and claimed that several of its initiatives led to the creation of jobs in the public and private sectors.

Modi, in turn, held the Congress responsible for the unemployment situation and accused it of opposing technologies/initiatives like the EVMs and Aadhaar.

“With emphasis on public and private sectors, we are also focussing on personal sector for employment. The pace of work on the infrastructure projects has been increased,” Modi said in response to a query while addressing Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha ‘karyakartas’ through his NaMo app.

Highlighting how the National Democratic Alliance government was strengthening the personal sector, he said that the country’s infrastructure sector was growing rapidly and added that without employing more people it was not possible to achieve this growth.

He mentioned a World Bank report on easing business environment in India and how through the Mudra Yojana a platform was being provided to budding entrepreneurs across the country.

Modi said that due to the government initiative, India had emerged as the best destination for foreign investment and this has been approved by various credit agencies.

“The Foreign Direct Investment in India has reached its highest level, which is consistently increasing,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that under the Mudra Yojana, loans of Rs 1.27 crore have been disbursed to the youth of Karnataka without any collateral.

“This constitutes 11 per cent of the total Mudra loans disbursed so far. Youngsters are not only becoming self-dependent, but also creating jobs for others,” he said.

Modi said that in the last few years, immense growth was seen in the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) accounts.

“Due to demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, there has been a great change in the formal sector. Workers are getting proper benefits in the social sector. The figures of EPFO accounts prove that there has been growth in the formal sector,” he said.

Dubbing the Congress criticism on employment and job creation fronts as a “conspiracy”, he said that the opposition party has been putting the blame on the BJP government because it failed to do anything during its 10-year rule from 2004-14.

“The Congress has nothing to say about its own achievements. They ruled the country for 60 years and what did they do for employment generation? If there is unemployment, is that due to four years of our government? So, they find it easy to accuse us and spread lies,” he said.

Modi said that the Congress is spreading lies and hatching conspiracies to put the onus on the NDA government for its own failures.

Terming employment generation as the “biggest problem” in the country, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been attacking the Centre for not fulfilling the promise of creating two crore jobs every year, which the BJP made ahead of the 2014 elections.

Responding to a query over rising political violence, the Prime Minister said there can be no place for such violence in Indian democracy.

“But of late, I have seen that such violence is on the rise in some states. In Karnataka too, we have seen how brutally our ‘karyakartas’ have been murdered. It’s highly condemnable.

“Violence in any form should not be allowed by any political party or ideology in democracy. I appeal to BJP’s youth workers in Karnataka not to act with vengeance even when they have lost their several colleagues in political violence,” he added.

Modi accused the Congress of opposing technologies/gadgets like the Electronic Voting Machines and the Aadhaar initiative and noted how the BJP was promoting technology in every sector.

“In this age of Artificial Intelligence, India cannot lag behind. Through technology, we are promoting skill development,” he said.

On a question on strengthening the demographic dividends of the country, he said that the government’s stress was on quality of education and quantity of opportunities.

“The government is committed to increased higher education facilities,” he said while shedding light on the Atal Innovation Mission. He said the initiative was promoting research and scientific temper among the students.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa to an open debate with him.

“Prime Minister Modi is deliberately confusing Karnataka voters with his bombastic speeches on non-issues. All hot air and no substance. My contest is not with him. It is with Yeddyurappa,” tweeted Siddaramaiah.

“I challenge him to an open debate on issues on a single platform. Will he accept? Modi is also welcome,” he added.

Siddaramaiah said: “I will speak extempore. They can bring paper. Come on BSY ‘avare’ let people see who they are voting for beyond the smokescreen created by hot air from Modi-Shah-Yogi (Modi-Amit Shah-Yogi Adityanath) team,” he added.

Karnataka Assembly elections are scheduled for May 12.

The Congress, Modi demanded, make it clear if it had a secret understanding with JD(S) or not. He said it was with the support of Deve Gowda’s party that the Congress had its mayor in Bengaluru.

After criticising Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of having insulted JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Congress and the JD(S) have entered into a “secret” pact for the Karnataka Assembly polls.

Prime Minister Modi said H D Deve Gowda’s party was “protecting” the Congress.

“If anyone is protecting the Congress, it is the JD(S)… Congress and JD(S) have a secret understanding…an understanding behind the curtains,” said Modi.

Addressing an election rally here, Modi alleged that the Congress, for years, spoke about poverty eradication only to garner votes, while neglecting farmers and the poor.

“Poll surveys, political pundits…everyone is saying the JD(S) cannot defeat Congress. They cannot form government. If anyone can change the government in Karnataka, it is the BJP,” said Modi.

The Congress, Modi demanded, make it clear if it had a secret understanding with JD(S) or not. He said it was with the support of Deve Gowda’s party that the Congress had its mayor in Bengaluru.

“Why are you hiding this? Congress should have the courage to speak out the truth to people,” said the PM.

Modi, however, insisted he still has respect for Deve Gowda, who had announced before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that he would commit suicide if he became the prime minister.

The PM said despite Deve Gowda opposing him, when he came to Karnataka for campaigning during the Lok Sabha elections, he wished the JD(S) leader should live for 100 years and serve the society.

“Garibi, garibi, garibi (poverty, poverty, poverty) was their constant rant. But once the son of a poor mother became the prime minister, they clammed shut…now they don’t talk about poverty,” he said.

He alleged the Congress was responsible for the backwardness of Tumakuru.

The farmers, he said, were suffering because of the policies of successive Congress governments at the Centre and in the state.

“Congress needs to be punished for ensuring Karnataka has a better future,” Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four public rallies in Tumkur, Gadag, Shimoga and Mangaluru on Saturday (May 05)

Modi is on a whirlwind tour of election-bound Karnataka since May 01. After an overnight stay in Mangaluru, he will take up campaigning again in Chitradurga, Raichur, Jamkhandi and Hubballi on Sunday (May 06)

BJP State President B S Yeddyurappa will campaign in M K Hubli and also share the dias with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his rally in Shimoga today.

BJP National President Amit Shah will lead road shows in Mysuru district.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh is addressing four public rallies in Kalburgi district today and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will conclude his three days campaign today in the state.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw