After Lalu’s taunt, PM Modi says ‘family’ is INDIA’s new formula to abuse him

The opposition INDIA bloc’s “new formula” to abuse him is to say he does not have a family, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Chennai on Monday (March 4), adding that the people have rejected it by chanting in one voice that they belong to Modi’s family.

Without naming Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Modi, in his address at the BJP rally in Chennai, said the Supreme Court posed the DMK minister “tough questions”. Modi alleged that “insulting” the faith of crores of people is an identity of the dynasts.

The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Udhayanidhi, also the DMK’s Youth Wing Secretary, over his “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remark.

Lalu’s swipe

On RJD leader Lalu Prasad’s jibe that PM Modi “does not have a family”, he said this was the INDIA bloc’s “new formula” to abuse him. However, people across the country said in one voice that they belong to Modi’s family, he added.

“Dynasty parties only think about their future whereas I work for everyone’s future,” he asserted. While the motto of the DMK and the Congress is ‘family first’, for him it is ‘nation first’. Therefore, the INDIA alliance has developed this new formula, he said. “What does it mean? Does it mean that having a family means getting the licence for corruption? Does having a family mean having a licence to seize power for their family?” Modi asked.

Jibe at Congress, DMK

He alleged the Congress and the DMK are steeped in corruption and nepotism. “For them, their family alone is everything. For them corruption is everything.” The Prime Minister welcomed the Supreme Court verdict in the JMM bribery case and said it would promote clean politics.

“The Supreme Court has overturned a protection the corrupt leaders of INDIA alliance enjoyed. I welcome that (verdict), after which there is gloom in that bloc; the tears have not dried up, they are afraid and shivering as they do not know anything but corruption,” the PM said.

For decades, INDIA alliance parties did politics of loot and due to them, young people are frustrated with politics, said Modi.

“Swachh rajneeti”

“The SC verdict will promote swachh rajneeti (clean politics). Modi’s most favourite work is Swachhata Abhiyan (cleanliness movement). I have to clean everywhere, but I need your blessings,” he said.

“Dynasty parties have no connection with hard work and they do not see working hard for the people as their responsibility. So, dynasty also brings arrogance. If a dynast comes to power, he thinks the country and its people are his slaves and forgets the honour of his post,” Modi said, asserting that the country is his family and the 140 crore people, the youth, farmers, and poor, are all his family.

“To make their future bright, I am working day and night. Sisters, daughters, they are my family. I am working to give them more and more opportunities,” he said. Furthermore, he said: “Those who don’t have anyone, they belong to Modi and Modi belongs to them. Mera Bharat mera parivaar (My Bharat is my family).”

He said the entire country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch (Gujarat) to Kamarup (Assam), the whole country is saying in one voice, “I am Modi’s family.” The BJP’s public meeting reverberated with the slogan ‘Namadhu Kudumbam, Modi Kudumbam’ (Our family is Modi’s family), as saffron party members chanted it after state leaders repeated the slogan in response to Lalu Prasad’s taunt.

Drug worry

Targeting Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, Modi alleged that the state government did not do flood management during the severe inundation Chennai faced last December, but instead “managed” the media to send out the message that everything is fine.

Against the background of the DMK sacking its functionary Jaffer Sadiq over allegations of his connection to a drug cartel, the PM said the information he received was worrisome and drug availability is rampant in Tamil Nadu.

“I am worried about future generations,” he added.

The PM said the people should be very careful about “such a party” that is just a mute spectator while the future of children was getting spoiled.

Exhorting the people to support the BJP, he said it would expedite the probe against “Tamil Nadu’s enemies”, and asserted that it is “Modi’s guarantee”.

Attacking DMK

The PM detailed the development projects worth thousands of crores, including the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal expressway and a slew of other initiatives like the COVID vaccines, free ration for the poor, and credit facilities to the MSMEs.

The Central schemes facilitate direct disbursal of payout to beneficiaries. The DMK is troubled that lakhs of crores of this benefit go directly to beneficiary accounts.

In a slew of initiatives covering piped water supply, roads, rail, highway, and so on, development work worth lakhs of crores is on and the DMK men have difficulty in “looting”, he alleged.

They are worried; but think that if money cannot be swindled, at least why should they not take credit for such development work.

“Let me tell the DMK, Modi will not allow you to loot; the money that you looted will be retrieved and spent on Tamil Nadu’s people. This is Modi’s guarantee.”

The way to Viksit Bharat

For a developed Tamil Nadu, all have to work together, he asserted. “Only a developed TN will pave the way for a Viksit Bharat (Developed Bharat). We are determined to make a Viksit Bharat.” Referring to the turnout to the rally, he said this would disturb those creating “political stories” in air-conditioned rooms in Delhi and those who “manufacture news”, as Tamil Nadu has joined the NDA.

Hours after visiting the IGCAR (Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research) at Kalpakkam, Modi said the “core loading” is a historic technical milestone.

Recalling the various power generation initiatives launched or for which he had laid the foundation stone in the last few days, Modi said this showed his government's efforts to ensure energy security.

(With agency inputs)