Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the past Congress governments, saying they were only concerned about the interest of a 'namdar' family, not the country's security. He added that these "incompetent and scared" governments also failed to demonstrate India's defence capability in space.

"Balasore recorded its name in history with Mission Shakti, which was conducted from here. The previous governments did not demonstrate the country's defence capability as they were busy serving the interests of a namdar family," said Modi while addressing an election rally in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency.

Referring to India's anti-satellite missile test, which made the country a space superpower as only three other countries in the world possess such a capability, Modi said: "The entire country is rejoicing the feat, but the 'mahamilawatis' are unhappy. They say Modi shouldn't have done it. He should have kept it a secret."

"But for this chowkidar, the country comes first. Our thinking is clear that for new India, it must be Jai Kisan, Jai Jawan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan," he added.

Modi appealed to the people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying: "Give the BJP just five years to work in Odisha, I assure you five times more development than whatever happened in the past 19 years."

The Prime Minister accused the BJD of feeding the demon of corruption, which has kept the people poor in one of the richest states in the country. Rather than developing Odisha, BJD leaders continued to amass money through coal and to chit fund scams. The looters of the poor will not be spared at any cost, he added.

Modi also accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a few officers of having caged the dreams of the people and alleged that they were now attacking BJP workers scared as they were of lotus blooming across Odisha.

--IANS

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