NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the “mindset” of protesters damaging infrastructure and public property saying these cause loss to the nation.
Inaugurating the first section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC), the PM also attacked the UPA dispensation for slow progress of the project during its tenure and termed it an example of the earlier government’s “work culture”.
In a veiled reference to the damage of nearly 1,500 mobile towers in Punjab and also earlier reports of protesters targeting trains during the farmer protests, the PM said, “I would like to talk about the mindset which we often see during protests. This mindset is to cause damage to the country’s infrastructure and public properties. We must remember that these infrastructures are not of any leader, party or government. These are national properties. These have been made with the sweat of every poor, taxpayer, middle class and every section of the society. Any harm to these properties is a straight attack on the poor and every common man.”
Modi said while exercising the democratic rights, people must not forget about their national duties.
In what could be seen as a reference to the protesters taking over the railway tracks and stopping rail operations in Punjab during “Rail Roko”, the PM also said railways is often targeted by protesters. He cited how the national transporter moved stranded migrants back to their homes and ensured supply of essential items during the Covid pandemic.
Virtually flagging off freight train on the 351-km new Bhaupur-New Khurja section of EDFC and the high-tech operation control centre set up at Prayagraj, Modi also accused the UPA of delaying the dedicated freight corridor project and ignoring modernisation of railways, and said politics should be kept away from infrastructure development.