Akola, 9 Nov

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said wherever a Congress government is formed, that state becomes the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) of the party’s ‘shahi parivar’.

“We won’t let Maharashtra become the ATM of Congress," Modi asserted while addressing a campaign rally in Akola for the 20 November State Assembly elections. "When the Congress indulges in so much corruption to win polls, one can imagine how corrupt the party will be once in power,” the PM pointed out.

"Wherever the Congress forms a government, that state becomes the ATM of the party's shahi parivar. As much as Rs 700 crore has been extorted from the liquor business in (Congress-ruled) Karnataka for the Maharashtra polls. Telangana and Himachal Pradesh have also become this shahi parivar's ATMs," he said.

The PM said the manifesto of the Mahayuti (ruling alliance in Maharashtra) focuses on women's security, job opportunities, expansion of Ladki Bahin Yojana, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP, have come out with a "ghotala patra". "The entire country knows the MVA means corruption, token money and transfer posting business," he said.

Attacking the Congress, the PM said he was daring the party's shahi parivar to prove if they had ever visited Babasaheb Ambedkar's "panchteerth".

Modi has coined the term panchteerth to denote Ambedkar's birthplace in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, the place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK, Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism, his ‘Mahaparinirvan Sthal’ in Delhi, and ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’ in Mumbai.

"They hate Babasaheb because he was a Dalit and because he got credit for drafting the Constitution. Babasaheb is an inspiration for me, the BJP and my government. Our government has developed places attached to his legacy. I have even named our UPI as BHIM UPI," he said.

The Congress' game plan is to pit castes and communities against each other and not allow Dalits and backward groups to unite, but the people of Haryana foiled this conspiracy by following the ‘Ek hai to safe hai’ (we are safe if we are united) mantra, Modi said.

"The Congress wants the OBCs, Adivasis and Dalits to fight as a split in their votes will get it back to power. This is the chaal and charitra (guile and character) of the Congress. In riots in Haryana, Dalits were killed and the Congress stood by the perpetrators," the PM said.

The Congress knows it will be strengthened only if the country is weakened, he added. Modi said in his last two terms his government was able to provide houses to four crore poor people, while another three crore houses will be built hereon.

In his third term, Modi said projects costing several lakh crore are underway, including the Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra which when completed will be the largest in the country. Such welfare work brings him blessings of the people and "your vote helps Modi work for the poor", he asserted.

While the NDA government is working to make cotton farmers of Maharashtra prosperous, the MVA government stalled irrigation projects started by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government. "We are encouraging farmers to irrigate farms with less water. Our motto is more crop per drop. We want to empower farmers so that they become the heroes of the country's development. The NDA government is working with speed and I want Maharashtra to have a similar government," Modi said.

Modi said the Congress and its allies ignored the demand to bestow classical language status on Marathi, which he was fortunate to fulfil in his third term. “On this day in 2019, the Supreme Court of the country gave its verdict on Ram Temple. This date of November 9 will also be remembered because after the decision of the Supreme Court, people of every religion showed great sensitivity,” Modi said. “This feeling of nation first is the biggest strength of India,” he said.

The PM slammed the Congress for supporting the resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly for restoration of Article 370, which gave the erstwhile state special status. "These people are speaking the language of anti-India forces and want to push Kashmir back into violence and militancy. They want to take Ambedkar's Constitution out of J-K. After Article 370 was removed, Dalits and tribals there got reservations. Kashmiri Hindus fled due to Article 370," he said.

“In the 10 years from 2014 to 2024, Maharashtra has continuously blessed the BJP wholeheartedly. There is a reason behind Maharashtra's trust in BJP. The reason for this is the patriotism, political understanding and vision of the people of Maharashtra,” Modi said. On 20 November, people of Maharashtra have the opportunity to give direction to the state and country by choosing development, security and peace, he said. Assembly poll results will be declared on 23 November.