Promising a corruption-free government in Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday slammed the Congress-JMM for their bid to divide OBCs and asked the marginalised communities to junk their politics over caste census by following the slogan of “Ek rahenge, toh safe rahenge” (United we will remain safe).

Addressing a Vijay Sankalp Sabha in Jharkhand’s Bokaro, PM Modi announced “Modi ki Guarantee” of delivering financial assistance to women for running their households; giving jobs to youths without corruption; jailing the corrupt; stopping infiltration and providing affordable piped cooking gas and assisting in solar power generation for zero monthly electricity bills of households. “We want to make Jharkhand a top-class state and give as many permanent jobs as possible to youths,” said PM Modi, highlighting how the new BJP government in Haryana had started offering jobs without “kharchi or parchi” (Bundles of notes or recommendation letters). He also promised a check over paper leaks saying, “Modi will foil conspiracies of all those who have dared to play with youths’ future.”

With an eye on Dalit and OBC voters, the PM targeted the Congress for disrespecting B.R. Ambedkar and obstructing the implementation of the Constitution created by him in Jammu and Kashmir for 70 years. Highlighting the removal of Article 370 in J&K, PM Modi said, “The Congress is unable to digest the removal of Article 370. For the past seven decades, B.R. Ambedkar’s Constitution was not valid in J&K.” “Modi has demolished the wall of Article 370 and implemented Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution in J&K. For the first time in Independent India, the new Chief Minister of J&K took the oath of Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. This is Modi’s tribute to B.R. Ambedkar,” he said. The Congress has now moved a proposal in the Assembly to revive Article 370 in J&K and the JMM is supporting that party, which wants to bar Baba Saheh Ambedkar’s Constitution in that state and revive terrorism. “Is this disrespect of Baba Saheh Ambedkar’s Constitution acceptable to you?” he asked the crowd.

Looking to blunt the Congress’ attempt to woo Dalit and OBC voters with the promise of caste census, PM Modi said the unity of SC, ST, OBC, Tribal and Dalit communities has always been an eyesore for the Congress which has continued to rule and loot using the divide and rule formula. “But ever since the Dalits and OBCs got together and got the reservation, the Congress has never got more than 250 seats in parliament. The Congress wants to divide Dalits and OBCs,” he said. In Bokaro, there are 125 OBC communities, including Yadav, Teli Kurmi, Mali, Prajapat, Lohar, Nayi, Pansari, and the Congress and JMM want to pit these communities against each other, he said. “The Congress wants OBC communities to fight each other and stop identifying themselves as a united community. This will weaken your voice. They want to break you into 125 communities,” he said. “So, we must remember, Ek Rahenge toh Safe Rahenge,” he said.

Sharing figures to prove that the NDA government has given four times more Central funds to Jharkhand than the UPA in the past decade, PM Modi said the Congress-JMM government in the state looted this money meant for people. While the people of Jharkhand were struggling to get a handful of sand, ministers in the state were making crores of rupees through sand smuggling, he said. “Let me assure you, once a BJP government is formed in Jharkhand, we will make sure that all corrupts land in jail,” he said. “The BJP has created Jharkhand and only we will make it prosperous,” said the PM, promising to punish the corrupt. Touching upon the emotive issue of infiltration into Jharkhand, the PM said, “To secure your daughters and land, a BJP government is needed in Jharkhand. We will also check infiltration. We want to make Jharkhand a top state, so you have to vote for candidates of BJP, AJSU, JD-U, LJP.” “You have to take my message of ‘Roti, Maati, Beti’ to each house,” he said.

He said ‘Sab ka Prayas’ is needed for Jharkhand’s development and people need to guard against Congress-JMM’s conspiracy to come to power, promising that air services would soon begin in Bokaro and people wearing “Hawai chappal” will be able to fly in Hawai Jahaj” (People wearing slippers will be able to fly in planes). PM Modi said efforts are on to bring down to zero the electricity bills of Jharkhand residents through solar power generation in households. “Rs 75000-80,000 will be given by the government to households to generate solar power, use it for their own consumption and sell the surplus supply. Earlier you were paying money to the government for electricity, now we are going to ensure government pays you for electricity,” he said.

He also promised all-round development and launch of new projects in the state, along with efforts to reopen shut plants like the Sindri fertilizer unit that has offered jobs to youths. Voting in Jharkhand will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20 to pick a new 81-member Assembly. The results will be declared on November 23.

–IANS

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