Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Left-Congress alliance in poll-bound Tripura and said the state government “shattered” dreams of the poor, tribals and youths, forcing them to leave the state.
Addressing a large crowd gathered at an election rally in Tripura’s Radhakishorepur, he accused the CPI(M) and Congress of “looting” the state. “CPM ki chanda waali company used to loot your ration,” he said, adding the people of Tripura removed Left parties and gave the mandate to BJP to form a ‘Double-Engine government’. “Today, people are getting free ration,” he said.
Doubling down on the attack upon the opposition, the Prime Minister said the previous government shattered the dreams of the poor, tribals and youth who were compelled to leave the state. “It was difficult for people to get even water and electricity. They did not even get basic facilities. Those who governed Delhi and Tripura earlier never cared about these facilities. Those who looted Tripura for years and compelled people to live in paucity have now come together,” he said.
Two parties fight “kushti” (wrestling) in Kerala and have done “dosti” (friendship) in the northeastern state. Making a veiled reference to Tipra Motha, Modi claimed that some other parties were also helping the opposition alliance from behind, but any vote for them will take Tripura several years backwards. “Old players of misgovernance have joined hands for ‘chanda’ (donation). Those fighting ‘kushti’ (wrestling) in Kerala have done ‘dosti’ (friendship) in Tripura,” he said.
“Tripura needs to protect itself from destruction”, Modi said, adding that Congress and the Communists never paid attention to development in Tripura. “It’s only during the last five years that steps to transform the people’s lives have been taken,” he said.
PM Modi said the “Double-engine government” has given a new image to Tripura. “Today, the state is providing electricity to neighbouring Bangladesh. The day is not far when every household will get 24 hours of electricity,” he said.
Referring to HIRA — Highways, Internet, Railways and Airways — which was promised to the people five years ago, the Prime Minister said, “I had promised HIRA, and justifying the same today, the growth and prosperity in Tripura stands unparalleled.”
Speaking about the housing scheme for the poor, PM Modi gave a “promise and commitment” that no one will have to sleep on footpaths. “After forming government in Delhi, we tried to give houses to the poor. The earlier government here was not interested in that. In the past five years, BJP has given houses to more than three lakh people in Tripura under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.”
“It is also our government which has increased the social allowance from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000,” he said. “For the first time, we have devised a special savings scheme for our sisters. With the Mahila Samman savings letter, women can save up to Rs 2 lakh.”
He also said the Congress and CPM, when they used to run the government together in Delhi nine years ago, had a budget of Rs 25,000 crore for developing tribal areas. “Today, this budget allocation has increased to more than Rs 1 lakh crore.”
Praising the peace and employment opportunities increasing for the youth in Tripura, he said, “Left and Congress, who look at their culture with an inferiority complex, have done nothing in the past nor have any possibility in future.”
Referring to the fight against COVID-19, he said, “In a Left-ruled state, a lot of people suffered from coronavirus and died, but Tripura was safe as the BJP worked to protect people’s lives.”
Congress and Left make poor get poorer!” he asserted, adding, “they have countless slogans for the poor but have never understood and addressed their pain.”
Accusing the Left of corruption earlier in Tripura, Modi said only leftist cadres used to get benefits of government schemes. “Now every citizen is getting benefits of government schemes. The CPM cadre occupied even the police stations, but now the rule of law is there,” he said.
He further told the people that every vote given to BJP is very important as it is a path to development. “The power of your vote will take Tripura on a path of development,” he said.
The northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland are set to go for Assembly elections this month, with polls due in Tripura on February 16, followed by Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27.
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