Partur, Maharashtra, Oct 16 (UNI) Lambasting the principal opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the nationalism of the Congress is buried under the burden of dynasticism and today's Congress doesn't even have patriots.
'Congress is buried under the burden of dynasticism. Congress sees nationalism only in dynasty,' said Mr Modi addressing an election rally here.
The Congress Party has accepted that 'the Congress of today is not a Congress of patriots'.
Congress party opposed the revocation of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, he said, adding 'Now, even with the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, their attitude is contrary to what the people of the country,' he said.
'Even the workers of the Congress and NCP have said that on issues like Article 370, every Indian should stand together with Modi and for the betterment of the country,' he said.
On Opposition Congress questioning the NDA government on surgical strikes, he asked the people present in the rally, 'Will any nationalist protest against the surgical strikes? Will they insult the Army and its warriors?'
Mr Modi said people of the country should have the same tone on issues of national interest and national defense.'The world should hear only one voice,' he said.
But these leaders, who seek political gains in everything, are not ready to accept even such a simple matter of national interest, he maintained.
'I read somewhere that a new training has started in the Congress. They will be teaching nationalism to their leaders,' he said.
'This means that today's Congress doesn't have even patriots. Their nationalism has been trampled by their family-ism,' he added.
Mr Modi said there have always been voices from Maharashtra about nationalism and patriotism.
'But unfortunately, these traditions of Maharashtra hurt the leaders of Congress and NCP on every occasion and on every platform,' he said.
Initiatives over Rs 50,000 crore are ongoing to build rural roads and national highways only in Marathwada, he said.
Work has been done to provide relief from load-shedding. Farmers and traders have received cheap and regular electricity, he added.
Mr Modi said despite giving Marathwada as many as three chief ministers to Maharashtra, the situation in did not change much in the state.
This area has been deprived of basic amenities like road, water, hospital and electricity, he said, adding 'Despite being the area of Chief Ministers, development has disappeared from here.'
Marathwada has suffered a major loss during Congress-NCP rule, the Prime Minister averred.
Before 2014, the situation was that plans were made for Marathwada but development was done for 'some leaders and their relatives', he said in reference to opposition parties.
Earlier, Mr Modi held rally in Akola.
He lashed out at the Congress and its allies for creating a hue and cry over the abrogation of Article 370 and charged that they had malicious intentions in not fully implementing the Constitution drafted by Baba B R Ambedkar.
'These people had malicious motives in not fully implementing Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar,' Mr Modi said addressing an election rally here.
'All of you are happy with the removal of Article 370, but the opposition is unhappy,' he maintained.
He said the Opposition does not want 'Ek Bharat, Shrest Bharat'. 'They want a divided India, a scattered India, a fighting India,' he stated, adding that Jammu and Kashmir and its citizens are the children of Mother India.
Assembly elections to 288-seat Maharashtra assembly will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24.
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