The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood for 'desh bhakti', while the Congress stood for 'vote bhakti' because of which the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government refused to retaliate after Pakistani terrorists attacked Mumbai in November 2008, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing an election rally in the state on Saturday.
Speaking in an aggressive manner, Modi reminded the people that the Congress leaders also insulted the martyrs of the 2008 Batla House encounter in New Delhi because of their 'vote bhakti'.
"The country is divided by 'vote bhakti' and 'desh bhakti'. It was 'vote bhakti' that prevented the Congress from acting tough on Pakistan," Modi said at the rally in Farbisganj in Araria parliamentary constituency, where the party's candidate is Pradeep Kumar Singh.
The Prime Minister said it was due to 'vote bhakti' that the then Congress government did not give permission to act against Pakistan after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.
"It was known to all that the terrorists had come from Pakistan, which was behind the terror attack in Mumbai. The army had sought permission to retaliate, but the Congress-led government refused to do anything," he said.
Modi further said that the BJP believed in 'desh bhakti' politics due to which the armed forces could successfully conduct surgical strikes after the Uri terror attack and air strike after the Pulwama terror strike.
Modi also attacked the Congress by raking up the Balakot air strike. "How can the opposition question the success of the Balakot air strike? Their approach is guided by 'vote bhakti'," he said.
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"They (opposition) have stopped asking for a body count or questioning the air strike because of your (people's) response in the first two phases of elections. They have already lost ground. They are afraid whether their remaining leaders will be there in the parliament," Modi said.
Playing the nationalism card, Modi said those who felt discomfort chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and sided with those saying 'Bharat Tere Tukde Honge' can do nothing for the country's progress.
He also warned the people against lies being spread in Bihar that 10 per cent quota for the economically backward among the general category will end reservations altogether.
The opposition's politics of appeasement may snatch away the rights of the Dalits, tribals and OBCs, the Prime Minister said.
--IANS
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