Congress did not care for tribals, its two leaders fighting to capture party in MP: PM Modi

Seoni: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Congress did not work for the welfare of tribals and that two senior Congress leaders were fighting in Madhya Pradesh to establish their sons and capture the party organisation in the state.

“We are the disciples and worshippers of tribals who made Lord Ram, Purshottam Ram,” Modi said addressing a public meeting in Seoni district of MP ahead of the state elections scheduled on November 17.

Out of the total 230 assembly seats in MP, 47 are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidates. Of the four assembly seats in Seoni, two are reserved for tribals.

Modi said the Congress, despite being in power for five-six decades in the country after Independence, did not do anything for the welfare of the tribal community.

He also said the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna, providing free ration to 80 crore poor people, will be extended for the next five years.

The PM listed the works done by the BJP government for the uplift of tribals and slammed the previous Congress government over various scams.

During the Congress regime before 2014, scams worth lakhs and crores of rupees took place but no such thing has taken place during the BJP government and the money thus saved is being spent on providing free ration to the poor people, he said.

Slamming the Congress, the PM said, “The Congress was creating confusion among the tribals. The word tribal does not sound good from their mouth. These tribals have taken care of Lord Ram. Did the tribal society not make Lord Ram, Purshottam Ram?” "We are the disciples and worshippers of tribals who made Lord Ram, Purshottam Ram,” he added.

For the first time in the country, a separate ministry for the welfare of tribals was constituted when the BJP came to power under the leadership of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said.

"This is our culture. A ministry, department and budget have been allocated for the uplift of tribals," Modi said, noting the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas (Tribal Pride Day) is celebrated on November 15 every year.

He said the Congress kept tribals in the dark.

“The Congress cared for one family. Their state governments named roads and lanes after them. Even their manifesto has their names," the PM said without naming anyone.

Further targeting the Congress, Modi said two of its big leaders are fighting in Madhya Pradesh to establish their sons and to capture the party organisation in the state.

"The Congress is not contesting polls in the state, but its two big leaders are fighting with each other," the prime minister said.

A recent viral video of MP Congress president Kamal Nath where he is asking Congress workers to "tear clothes" of his colleague Digvijaya Singh over denial of ticket to a leader from Shivpuri had fuelled talks of a rift in the party over selection of nominees.

However, both the former CMs have sought to make light of the episode and put up a united face ahead of the state polls.

Modi said the scheme providing free ration to the poor people will be extended for the next five years.

“During the severe COVID-19 crisis, the only thing that bothered me was how the poor people will provide food to their children when everything was closed. They couldn't go out of their homes for work and therefore, I decided to fight to save the people of the country under any condition," he said.

"As a result of this resolve, I decided to provide ration free of cost to 80 crore people so that their children get food through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna,” he said.

Modi said that as he comes from a poor family and understands the problems being faced by such people, his government has decided to extend the scheme of providing free ration for the next five years.

Referring to the mass availability of mobile phones in the country, Modi said the mobile phones as well as data services are cheaper in the country because of his government's policies and ensuring a huge saving for the people.

The monthly charges of Rs 300-400 for mobile phone and data could have been Rs 4,000-5,000 per month had the Congress been in power, he said.

Modi also said the Janaushadhi Kendras set up by the government offered 80 per cent discount on medicines and saved nearly Rs 25,000 crore of the poor people in the country.

Farmers in India are getting urea at Rs 300 per bag, which is 10 times less than what it costs cultivators in the US, he said.

He also listed the BJP government's various other initiatives, including naming Habibganj railway station in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal after Rani Kamalapati.