New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he took the decision for the Indian Air Force to conduct Balakot air strikes as his government decided to attack the camps from where the terrorists were operating, claiming Pakistan was reconstructing the area to prove as if nothing happened.
Interacting with people in more than 500 locations across the country under “Main Bhi Chowkidar” campaign from Talkatora Indoor Stadium here, the Prime Minister said he spent five years in fulfilling the country’s requirements and his next five years will be focused on addressing its aspirations.
Hitting out at the Congress, Modi alleged that the Opposition was spreading lies and misleading the people. He urged the youth to be vigilant and analyse their track record. “They have been saying that there are no terror camps. Now they have to hide it. They are not allowing anybody to go there. We have been told Balakot area is being reconstructed by Pakistan to show that a school is being run there, so that people can be taken there and shown that no terror camp existed there,” he said.
“We have been suffering from terrorism for the last 40 years. Everybody knows who does this sin, where the remote control is, where the masters of these terrorists are sitting. They would come and hit us at will. Tell me how long would this go on? “So I decided, the game to be played on their soil, the battlefront would be there,” he said.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan’s dilemma was if it acknowledges that Balakot air strike happened, it would be akin to an admission that there was a terrorist camp there. “They have always maintained before the world that there are no terrorist camps on their soil. We struck in auch a way that Pakistan is left wondering how to hide it,” he said.
He also hinted that if he gets re-elected as the Prime Minister, his government would act tough against corruption, saying he was committed to fulfil the responsibilities placed on him by the voters who chose to make him the nation’s watchman five years ago.
“I will not let anybody filch your money under my watch. It is my responsibility as the chowkidar to make sure that the nation’s wealth is safe,” he said. The event was attended, among others, by BJP chief Amit Shah and several Union ministers and chief ministers at different places across the country.
“In the last five years, I put all my strength to do what was lacking, to fulfil the necessities from toilets, electricity, roads, trains to buses. Now in next five years, our focus would be on to build a strong structure. “In the first five years, the government tried to fulfil the basis requirements and the next five years will be to address the ambitions and aspirations of the country,” he said to a query about his focus if he returns as the Prime Minister.
Modi said in the last five years, he successfully sent those who looted the country through different means of corruption to jail and will act as much tough if he gets re-elected. He also attacked the Congress for its election promise of NYAY and others and urged the voters to be careful about such kind of promises.
“When elections come, political parties start announcing attractive schemes. But voters should check their track record and should not listen to their tape recorder,” he said. He said India’s first Prime Minister (Jawaharlal Nehru), his daughter and Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi), and her son and Prime Minister (Rajiv Gandhi) and his widow (Sonia Gandhi), who run the country through remote control, had promised to end poverty and now her son (Rahul Gandhi) was making the same promise. “This is their track record. The four generations were promising the same issue but despite ending poverty, it increased. “Therefore, I urge people to minutely examine everything what some parties are saying and promising,” he said.
Congress was at the centre of Modi’s criticism as he said its lies were seasonal. “When Delhi went to the polls, they began spreading lies about attacks on churches. They began chanting intolerance. But the allegations of intolerance ended with the elections,” he said. Modi said whatever his government has achieved in the last five years, it is because of people’s participation. He said, Swachhata Abhiyan has become a mass movement due to the support of people.
The Prime Minister said the principle of the NDA government is to honour the honest and that honest taxpayers do not face any difficulty. “When 130 crore people of the country decide to take the nation to new heights, no force can stop India from becoming a developed nation,” he said. He said, the success of Mission Shakti is a big achievement of the country and due to efforts of the scientists, India has entered the elite club of space power. “The world must know the strength of the country,” he added.