Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticized the Congress, accusing the party of ‘dividing’ the Adivasi community into castes to weaken them. PM Modi was campaigning in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur for Mahayuti candidates contesting the upcoming assembly polls.
Addressing a public meeting, PM Modi said, “The tribal population in our country is around ten percent. Congress wants to divide the Adivasi community into castes and weaken them.”
Speaking to the people, he added that Congress wants to create internal conflicts and break their unity.
Reiterating his slogan “Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge” at the event, he urged tribal communities to resist division into castes.
“If the Adivasi community gets divided into castes, it will lose its identity and strength. The Congress prince announced this plan in a foreign country. We must not fall into the Congress conspiracy; we must stay united. ‘Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge,'” the Prime Minister said.
He went on to highlight the Mahayuti government’s achievements over the past two and a half years.
“You have witnessed double-speed development in the last 2.5 years. Maharashtra is the state with the highest foreign investment. There are new airports and motorways, a dozen Vande Bharat trains are running, and over 100 railway stations are being upgraded,” PM Modi said.
The prime minister accused Congress and the Aghadi of hindering rail connectivity in the region, emphasizing that the development of the area is beyond the reach of Aghadi.
“The people of Chandrapur have been demanding rail connectivity for years, but Congress and the Aghadi did not let that happen. The rapid development of Maharashtra is beyond the reach of Aghadi. They have done a PhD in blocking development, and Congress holds a double PhD in it,” PM Modi said.
“Aghadi means the biggest players in corruption, the ultimate players,” he added.
Posing a question to the audience, PM Modi asked whether the people of Chandrapur would allow the MVA to stall the city’s development.
“Will you give them a license to loot again? Will you let them loot, will you let them fill their coffers? Will you let the MVA halt Maharashtra’s development?” questioned the Prime Minister.
In a pointed remark, PM Modi criticized the speed at which the Mahayuti government operates, saying that the people of Chandrapur are witnesses to how these Aghadi parties hinder progress.
The polls are scheduled for November 20, with counting to take place on November 23.
The opposition MVA comprises Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).