Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a strong attack against the opposition parties and accused them of working towards getting rid of him even as he worked towards eliminating terrorism from the country.

Addressing an election rally in Patna, Modi said, “The opposition wants to get rid of Modi, I want to get rid of terrorism.”

Saying that “opposition parties had no work left other than to abuse Modi”, he said, “They want to get rid of Modi, but I say let’s join hands to eliminate terrorism. Shouldn’t terrorism be eradicated? But their priority is to get rid of Modi. My priority is to eliminate terrorism. They want to get rid of me, but I say let’s join hands to rid the country of poverty. They want to get rid of Modi, I say, let’s join hands to rid the country of corruption and black money. Let’s join hands to create new opportunities for the youth. I say let’s join hands to rid the country of malnourishment and filth.”

At the Sankalp rally, where he shared the dais with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Modi also launched a scathing attack on the Congress with reference to the recent air strikes against terror camps at Balakot across the Line of Control.

Claiming that the questions being raised by the Congress over the air strikes were only pleasing those in Pakistan, he said, “First they asked for evidence of the surgical strikes (in Uri). Now they are demanding evidence of the air strikes by the Air Force. Why are the Congress and other parties working towards destroying the morale of the armed forces?”

Not holding back, the PM said that at a time when the country needed to show that it was standing together against terrorism, the opposition had joined hands to condemn the centre’s actions.

“When there was a need to speak in unison against terror factories, 21 parties had gathered in Delhi to pass a censure motion against the NDA government at the centre,” he said.

“You are all witnesses, when our country’s competent army was crushing terror, whether it was from within the border or outside, what were some people within the country doing at such times? Instead of increasing the morale of the armed forces, they were doing things that are pleasing the enemy,” he said.

Praising the armed forces for their valour, he said, “This is a new India with a new policy. Now India will not remain silent on the sacrifices of its heroic youths, it will strike back every single time,” he said.

Saying that opposition parties were in such a disarray that they had begun a competition to abuse the chowkidar, he said, “your chowkidar is fully alert.”

First Published: Mar 03, 2019 13:54 IST