Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday launched the BJP’s campaign for the upcoming Mumbai civic polls with an emphasis on how the party has completed Mumbai infrastructure projects that were stalled under the previous regime.
He also spoke on security, talking about the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the then Congress government’s alleged inaction, adding that his government has been dealing with Pakistan with a comparatively stronger hand.
Among the big ticket infrastructure projects inaugurated by the PM were the much-anticipated Navi Mumbai International Airport, and the final phase of the Mumbai Metro Line 3, also known as the Aqua Line, Mumbai’s first underground metro corridor, making the line fully functional.
Speaking in Navi Mumbai, in his first big rally to launch the campaign for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, he highlighted infrastructure and security—the two themes that had worked for the BJP in Mumbai in the assembly polls too.
He spoke at length about how the state-of-the-art Navi Mumbai airport and the metro line are symbols of the country’s Viksit Bharat mission, while also launching a veiled attack on Uddhav Thackeray and the Opposition alliance, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
He slammed the Congress government for its “weak” response to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Taking a cue from P Chidambaram’s recent interview—in which Chidambaram said the Congress government ultimately decided not to retaliate against Pakistan over 26/11 due to global pressure to not start a war—Modi asked why the UPA government led by Congress in 2008 went soft on Pakistan after the terror attack bled India’s financial capital.
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande told ThePrint: “The airport won’t be operational before December. So the reason they inaugurated today was only for local body polls. But I didn’t find his speech harsh. Yes, there was reference to the Congress and security issue, but not unlike a typical Modi rally speech.”
‘Congress’s message of weakness’
The Navi Mumbai airport has been a project in the making since 1997, when it was first conceptualised. Cabinet approval came in 2007 but it was much later, around 2017, when pre-development work started.
Modi called the new swanky airport a pivotal piece of infrastructure that will enhance the economic opportunities in the state and will be Asia’s largest connectivity hub.
“Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project which reflects ‘Viksit Bharat’. With this new airport, farmers in Maharashtra will be connected to the markets of the Middle East and Europe. This will attract investment and new businesses to the area. I congratulate the people of Maharashtra on the inauguration of this airport,” he said.
“Our target is to make India the global aviation Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub by the end of this decade,” the PM added.
The 33.5 km Mumbai Metro 3 will now be a fully operational underground metro, running from north to south, between Aarey and Cuffe Parade respectively.
The first phase from Aarey to BKC (12.6 km) was inaugurated on 7 October 2024, while the second phase—BKC to Acharya Atre Chowk station (9.7 km)—was inaugurated on 9 May this year.
Modi said he had earlier laid the foundation stone for the project, but the MVA had stalled it when it came to power. “Launching an underground metro with such careful construction in a city like Mumbai is a big achievement. This metro reminds me of certain people. I was present at the foundation stone ceremony. But then the government changed and some people came to power. They stopped the work. They got power, but the country suffered.”
Earlier, it used to take over two hours to cover the distance from Aarey to Cuffe Parade but with the metro line, this time has been reduced to half, he added.
The Prime Minister emphasised that security is paramount for his government, as he cited 26/11.
“The then Congress government gave a message of weakness. Recently, a senior Congress leader and former home minister revealed that after the (26/11) Mumbai attacks, our security forces were ready to attack Pakistan, but due to pressure from another country, the Congress government at the time stopped our security force. Congress needs to tell who made the decision under pressure from a foreign power. The country has all the right to know. Congress’s weakness strengthened the terrorists,” he said.
Modi further said: “For us (NDA), nothing is more important than the security and safety of the nation and the citizens. Today’s India gives a befitting reply. Today’s India hits deep inside the enemy’s den. People witnessed this during Operation Sindoor and felt proud.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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