New Delhi: Batman, Baahubali, fake news, “enemy” conspiracies, the difference between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the government’s achievements — these were some of the things that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Thursday. One thing that did not find mention in his speech was Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who Pakistan claims is in its custody.
For nearly an hour-and-a-half, or 85 minutes to be precise, Modi interacted with BJP workers and volunteers at the booth level from across 15,000 locations in the country under the ‘Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot’ initiative.
He chose to be unapologetically political, combative towards the opposition, spoke extensively about what his government has done, while also seeking to send out a message to Pakistan. However, the missing reference to the IAF pilot was the most conspicuous, especially given Modi’s silence in public and on Twitter for 24 hours after Pakistan claimed to have captured Abhinandan.
The BJP has come under heavy criticism from several quarters for going ahead with this political event — which it touted as the world’s largest video conference — at a time of escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.
Message to ‘enemy’
In what seemed to be a message not only to Pakistan, but also to those who have criticised him for continuing with his political activities, Modi said “no matter what, our work should not stop”.
“When the enemy conspires to create instability in India, conducts terror attacks, then one of the aims is to halt our growth and speed, to see our country stop. In front of this, every Indian has to stand like a mountain. We must all ensure that we stand together, united and with our soldiers, to ensure we are strong. We have to ensure that no matter what, our progress and our work does not stop,” he said.
“India will live as one. India will work as one. India will grow as one. India will fight as one. India will win as one.”
The government and the opposition have been involved in a war of words, with one blaming the other for “politicising” the Pulwama terror attack and India’s retaliatory air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
“The world is observing our collective will. We have faith in the capabilities of our army. Therefore, it is necessary that there is nothing that affects their morale or allows our enemy to raise a finger at us,” the PM said, in an obvious reference to the opposition’s remarks against the government.
Also read: 5 ways Modi’s Pakistan air strike ‘bombed’ opposition’s election strategy
Congress versus BJP
Modi, who first gave a short speech before taking questions from party workers, used the interaction to chalk out the difference between the culture of the Congress and the BJP.
“In our party, no decision is taken based on what a person or a family wants, but according to what the karyakartas (workers) want. The BJP’s doors are not open for you only because you are rich or you are a member of a big family, but because of your hard work and commitment,” he said.
“In the BJP, everything is done democratically. A BJP worker displays simplicity and gentleness. Here, the worker does everything and that is why an ordinary worker like me could become the PM and serve the country. Democracy is in our DNA. The BJP had given the country two Prime Ministers — and neither has been from a big family or been rich.”
Repeating his earlier point of the ‘grand alliance’ of opposition parties being a ‘maha milavat’ (mega adulteration), he said the Congress was trying to forge coalitions to “save its existence and to keep itself alive”.
On his government’s achievements
Speaking at length about what his government has done, Modi said the phase from 2014-19 was devoted to laying a foundation and taking the country from “disappointment to hope”, and that 2019-24 would be about “fulfilling expectations”.
The PM claimed when the UPA government came to power in 2004, it “destroyed” all that the previous Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government had done.
“If they come back in 2019, everything we have done will be ruined again,” he said in a clear message to voters to re-elect his party.
Talking about what he sought to portray as India’s changing image, Modi said “earlier, movies were made on how India is attacked, but now the movies are about how India gives a befitting reply to such attacks”.
“Earlier, India was known as a poor country. Now, it is known as one of the best investment destinations. Earlier, it was known as a country of snakes and snake charmers, now it is known for science, start-ups and satellites. Earlier, India was known for darkness, now it is known for LED revolution,” he said.
“Earlier, the world saw Batman as a hero, but today, even Baahubali is known as one.”
Also read: India is in safe hands, won’t let country bow down, says PM Modi
On social media
Emphasising on the need to use social media “constructively”, the PM said “fake news” should not be forwarded, but deleted.
“Social media is a democratic media where everyone has a right to say what they want to. Make sure you are not sharing fake news. The opposition has become very good at this. Those who don’t have their own agenda, will make fake news an agenda,” he said.
PM Modi is known to be one of the earliest users of social media among India’s politicians, with his party using it to the hilt both to spread its political and electoral message. However, the PM has often come under criticism for following accounts accused of ‘abusive trolling’ on Twitter.