"Niyat mein khot aur gareeb par chhot": PM Modi slams Oppn over 'fake guarantees'

Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 1 : Coming down heavily on the Congress and other outfits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday advised people to be aware of "fake guarantees" given by "family-centric" parties.

"You have to be careful of those who give false guarantees. The only surmise that one can draw from the Congress's poll guarantees is 'Niyat mein Khot aur Gareeb par chot' (questionable intent and a propensity to hurt the poor)," PM Modi said at a public meeting in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday.

Accusing previous governments at the Centre of being apathetic to the poor and the deprived sections, PM Modi said, "Previous governments in the last 70 years could barely put food on the table for the poor but the present government has effectively turned the tables by providing a guarantee of free food grains to 80 crore families through Garib Kalyan Yojna."

On the guarantee of free electricity by Opposition parties in states that they rule, PM Modi said it implies that the power tariff would be raised.

While the AAP-ruled Delhi government provides free electricity up to a certain threshold to consumers, the Congress government in Karnataka is set to roll out the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme, which promises similar benefits to power consumers.

"Similarly, when a government offers free rides in public transport, it means that the transportation system is no longer self-sustaining and is on the path of destruction. When promises for higher pensions are made, it implies that the salaries of government employees would be delayed," PM Modi said.

On Opposition guarantees to reduce fuel prices, PM Modi said, "It means that taxes would be raised."

On job guarantees in some Opposition-ruled states, he said it is an indication that the newly introduced policies will sound the death knell for industries in those states.

"They go around giving guarantees and schemes despite having no guarantees on their immediate political future. They keep coming to you with new schemes," PM Modi said.

Underlining the efforts of the Centre to extend the benefits of its welfarist schemes to the people, he said his government provided health security to 50 crore beneficiaries through the Ayushman Yojna, free gas connections to 10 crore women under the Ujjwala Yojna, and loans to the tune of Rs 8.5 crore to beneficiaries through the Mudra Yojna.

Earlier, on Saturday, PM Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission and also started the distribution of about 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh.