PM attacks opposition for labelling businessmen thieves & looters; says industrialists have also contributed to India’s development.
Lucknow: Attacking opposition parties for calling industrialists “chor and luterey” (thieves and looters), Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said he did not hesitate to be seen with them as his “intentions” were clear.
“We are not those who are scared of standing next to businessmen,” he said, adding like farmers, bankers, government employees and labourers, industrialists also contributed to the development of the country.
“You cannot have blot on you simply by standing with anyone if your intentions are good and clear. Gandhiji’s intentions were so pure that he never hesitated in staying with Birla family,” he said.
“Public mey milna nahi, parde ke peeche sab kuch karna hai. Woh dartey rahtey hain, (Those who do not meet publicly and do everything behind curtains remain scared),” he said.
Modi was speaking after the launch of 81 investment projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore for Uttar Pradesh at a mega ground-breaking event.
Around 80 leading industrialists, including Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla group, Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani group, Subhash Chandra, chairman of Essel group and Sanjeev Puri, MD, ITC, besides top captains of other major business houses participated in the event.
Amar Singh, former SP leader, is sitting here and he can give you all the details, Modi said laughingly.
“Should we insult them (industrialists and businessmen) by labelling them as ‘chor’ and ‘luterey’. What is this? Those who will do wrong will have to leave the country or spend life in the jail. This was not done earlier because everything was done behind curtains…”
“Kiske jahaj me log ghoomte pata nahi kya,” (Are you not aware on whose plane, they used to travel),” he said without naming anyone.
Modi said there was a time when coal brought a bad name, apparently referring to the coal blocks allotment scam.
Modi said those who used to look for issues to criticise him, should note that whatever mistake they find dates back to 70 years.
“Please note, whatever you find will be dating back to 70 years (of their rule) and not from my four years. I have only four years in my account and you have 70 years,” he said.
The prime minister also took the opportunity to attack his political rivals who have been ridiculing his frequent visits to the state and saying that it smacked of his nervousness ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“As an MP from the state, I will come twice, five times, ten times… I am your MP and will keep visiting (the state),” he said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of opposition Samajwadi Party mocking the prime minister for visiting the state six times in a month.
Modi’s Uttar Pradesh tour today marked his sixth visit to the state this month and second to Lucknow in as many days.
He was here yesterday to attend a programme on “Transforming Urban Landscape”, marking the third anniversary of three key government initiatives related to urban development – Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and the Smart Cities Mission.
Earlier this month, Modi visited his parliamentary Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, Azamgarh and Mirzapur, besides Noida (Gautam Buddh Nagar). He had visited Sant Kabir Nagar on June 28.
Modi, without naming the Samajwadi Party, said the tube in a ‘cycle’ (its party symbol) tyre can take only a limited pressure of air. Beyond that limit, the same air hampers its movement,” he said.
Modi lauded the UP government for attracting huge investments.
“I have been chief minister for a long time and getting Rs 60,000 crore investment is a big achievement. I congratulate officers also for the unimaginable work,” he said.
“Some persons are calling it ground breaking ceremony but it’s a record breaking ceremony. In such little time, old ways have been changed and trust of industrialists has been gathered. I am happy that in Yogi Adityanath’s leadership atmosphere is being created for investment by changing work culture,” he said.- PTI