PM Modi turns heat on rivals ahead of Punjab polls

POlitical run SpeechPrime government minister Narendra Modi on fri launched a sharp-worded assail on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, accusing it of ruining the state and saying only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could save the region, in a speech that virtually marked the beginning of campaign season in the poll-bound province.Modi began the day by flagging off India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen-powered passenger train from Jind to Sonipat, asserting that the government’s rapid railway electrification drive has protected India from global energy disruptions in West Asia.He then addressed a rally in Jind, where he asked Haryana to begin identifying sporting talent in children between 10 and 15 so they could be groomed for the 2036 Olympic Games. In the afternoon, he spoke in Jalandhar and in the evening in Chandigarh, where he described the Union Territory as a model of planned development and quality of life.Punjab is scheduled to go to the polls early next year.Addressing a rally after inaugurating 75 redeveloped railway stations across 20 states under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the PM said only the BJP and Modi could save Punjab and its people from the mess created by the AAP, which he alleged destroyed the state on every front, from law and order to drugs.“Punjab is the land of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh but the AAP has betrayed and backstabbed the people of the state and masked its failures by advertisements. Whatever is happening in Punjab is no secret, as the law and order situation in Punjab has completely collapsed. The gangsters are calling the shots as no one can predict when or where a gang war erupts. The industry and industrialists are being targeted by extortion gangs, police stations are being attacked with hand grenades. The youth of Punjab has been pushed into the quagmire of drug addiction and the future of state’s youth is bleak,” Modi said.“Only a double engine sarkar of the BJP can bring Punjab back on the roads of development. The BJP has done this in Haryana and New Delhi, which have touched the pinnacles of development. We have provided MSP on 24 crops to farmers in Haryana, while the farmers are feeling cheated and deceived in Punjab,” he added.“Serving the public requires honest intentions and a spirit of integrity. However, the party currently in power in Punjab possesses neither. It is known as a ‘Kattar Beimaan Party’ (hardcore dishonest party).”Modi said development in Punjab came to halt after the AAP took over the reigns of the state in 2022. The Centre provided ample funds for roads, infrastructure, grain markets and upgradation of other amenities but successive governments, including the AAP, looted them, he added.“The fiscal health of Punjab is in complete doldrums as the ever rising debt has pushed the state into bankruptcy. The government has been taking loan after loan to run its affairs and has been paying huge interest…the state employees are not being paid of their pending dues; the women are being cheated out of financial assistance of ₹1000,” Modi said.Launching a fierce attack, Modi said AAP’s former health minister was dropped following corruption allegations, one minister was facing money laundering cases, and multiple legislators were caught accepting money. Modi was referring to former health minister Vijay Singla, and minister Sanjeev Arora, who is in jail in connection to a PMLA case.“There are very few people in AAP with clean image. The party and its leaders neither have clear intentions nor honest image…Punjab requires a government, which should work with spirit of integrity, dedication and commitment and only BJP can do this for the welfare and betterment of Punjab,” Modi said.“The BJP will make Punjab self-reliant and usher new development agenda in the state, boosting new investments, generating employment and uplifting farmers,” he added.Modi said a few days ago, a court in Gujarat sentenced an AAP lawmaker to seven years in prison for assaulting government officials, and another leader was charged for killing an IB officer in New Delhi. He was alluding to the convictions of AAP’s Gujarat MLA Chaitar Vasava and former Delhi councillor Tahir Hussain.“The country is seeing their true face. Just two or three days ago, one of their leaders in Delhi was convicted by a court. He was found guilty of inciting riots and of the murder of an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer,” Modi said.He added: “The court delivered its judgment based on evidence, yet they are questioning the verdict. They are even trying to give a religious colour to the court’s decision because of their vote-bank politics.”On Monday, Hussain was convicted for murdering Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, with a Delhi court also holding him guilty of kidnapping, promoting enmity between different religious groups and rioting with a deadly weapon in one of the most high-profile cases arising from the communal violence.“Those currently in power in Punjab used to claim that they would transform the country’s politics, but today, the nation is witnessing their true colours. Extortion and illegal occupation have all become trademarks of their political system. Many people are currently out on bail in numerous similar cases,” Modi said.He also took shots at the Congress and Akali Dal. “The Congress leaders are least bothered about the interests of the Punjab as they are fighting to get hold of their seats. Even the Akali Dal is in the same state as they are too busy in their own selfish interests and had nothing for the people of Punjab.In Chandigarh, Modi launched and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹4,700 crore in Chandigarh, spanning healthcare, education and road infrastructure. Addressing a gathering at Punjab Engineering College, Modi said Chandigarh’s development remained a priority for the NDA government and highlighted its role as a regional hub serving Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.Congress MP from Chandigarh Manish Tewari shook hands with Modi and briefly exchanged pleasantries after the PM concluded his address. The two interacted on the stage for about two minutes, drawing attention. Asked about the interaction, Tewari said any initiative that benefits the people of Chandigarh is above party politics and that he would always support the development of his constituency.(With inputs from Aneesha Sareen Kumar in Chandigarh)