Dahod (Gujarat), Dec 6 (UNI) "Who used to go for open defecation? Did these people like Ambani and Adani used to go for open defecation?"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday put these questions before the people of tribal-stronghold Dahodwhile addressing an election rally.
Mr Modi sought to drive home the point that contrary to allegation from the opposition Congress party, his government was working for the poor people.
"Our rivals say the Modi government is working for the rich.....I ask today, do they know who are rich and who are poor.We are making 'sandas (toilets) to end open defecation. You tell me, who used to go for open defecation. Did these people like Ambani and Adani used to go for open defecation?," asked the prime minister.
The remarks from Prime Minister come close on the heels of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders alleging that the Modi government is working for the 'rich' and few major corporate houses ignoring the welfare of the poor.
In contrast to what the opposition leaders say, Mr Modi said, his government is working for the poor people and therefore undertook major policy programmes like Jan Dhan under which bank accounts were opened for the poor people and also brought in drastic change in the life of poor and rural women by providing them gas cylinders.
"We opened bank accounts for about 30,000 people who never have been to banks. Whose accounts are these, rich or poor,"he asked.
He said under the government initiatives poor people were also given insurance cover for minimum investment.
UNI DEVN SRJ 1611