Sundargarh (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said that while the “chowkidar” has demonstrated courage to hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, the Congress wants to dilute the powers of the armed forces. The Congress is trying to protect people who shelter terrorists and Maoists, he alleged.
The prime minister has on several occasion said he’s the chowkidar (watchman) of the country and serves to protect its best interests. “The chowkidar is fighting terrorists, while the Congress is working to dilute the powers of the armed forces,” he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Sundargarh, referring to the party’s plan to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
“There were governments in the past too, but they could never think of undertaking surgical strikes. They did not have the courage to cross the border by aircraft and kill terrorists,” the prime minister said. The prime minister said people have to decide whether they want to choose an honest and principled government committed to development of all, or a corrupt and unprincipled one.
“This time lotus will bloom in Odisha. The BJP will taste victory. I can say with certainty that maximum number of lotuses will bloom in the state,” PM Modi said. Similarly, the BJP will again come to power at the Centre as the country needs a strong and decisive government to ensure national security as well as speedy development, he said. Only the BJP is capable of providing a strong and decisive government, he said. Hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha, the prime minster said its intentions are not good and the 2019 polls are significant for the future of Odisha as well as country. On the 39th foundation day of the BJP, Modi said, “The party was born out of sweat of its workers, not dynasty or money. It came into being and grew manifold with the sweat and labour of its workers.”
He said the BJP has been guided by stalwarts such as Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Jagannathrao Joshi, Rajmata Scindia and Murli Manohar Joshi. “I salute every worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP is the biggest democratic organisation in the world,”he said. (PTI)