Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the opposition's hatred for him is "reaching new levels", including calling for his killing, but he was not bothered and will continue his mission to make India strong.
He also stressed that a diverse India will not progress if regional aspirations are not fulfilled, and that only the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance can do this.
Addressing a public rally near here along with allied party leaders like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam from the AIADMK, PMK founder S. Ramadoss and several others, he said that the opposition's "Modi hatred" was rising with mockery of his lower caste origin and poor background or abuse of his family.
"Now one Congress leader talks of killing Modi. But I want to tell them, that I am not bothered about threats and abuse. I am here to do to make India strong and prosperous.
"Every drop of my blood, every breath of mine, every second of my life and every beat of my heart is for India and its 130 crore people," he asserted.
Accusing the opposition of not wanting a strong India and strong armed forces, he said his government is deeply concerned about national security and its vision is to make India a defence production hub. One of the two such hubs is in Tamil Nadu which will bring in jobs for the youth, he said.
He also said that the Chennai Central Railway Station will be renamed after late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran, and that announcements on flights originating from and departing to Tamil Nadu will be made in Tamil.
"India is a diverse nation. India will never progress till regional aspirations are met," said Modi, days after his BJP became a formal member of the AIADMK-led alliance, adding that the Congress and its allies can never do this as it had a culture of "high command" that catered to the Gandhi family.
He alleged that the Congress had insulted strong regional leaders, like its stalwart and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, whose "crime was that he spoke for the people".
Hitting out the Congress, he said it had abused the Constitution's Article 356, providing for dismissing a state government and imposing President's Rule, repeatedly.
"If the dynasty does not like the leader, the government is dismissed," he said, noting 50 state governments were dismissed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in her tenure.
Beginning his speech saluting Kancheepuram, the district where Kilambakkam, the site of the rally, is located, Modi cited poet Kalidas who had described it as "Nagareshu Kanchi (great city Kanchi).
He said the Central government is making continuous efforts foe the state's development, as dreamt by late Chief Minister and AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa, and cited various infrastructure projects launched by him earlier on Wednesday.
Expressing his happiness at the unveiling of MGR's statue in a college here, Modi said MGR was one of the most respected icons of India who ruled not only the Tamil cine world but also people's hearts.
With the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils an emotive issue in Tamil Nadu, Modi noted that he was the first Indian Prime Minister to have visited Jaffna in the island nation and also the area where MGR was born (in Kandy city).
Modi said India has committed to build 14,000 houses for Tamils there and he had given houses to 1,000 people.
He also said the Central government will come to help when ever a Tamilian is in difficulty anywhere in the world, citing the case of Father Alexis Prem Kumar who was held captive in Afghanistan.
Modi said his government worked for almost eight months to secure his release and also about 1,900 fishermen came back to Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka including some facing death sentences there.
Urging the state's people to ask the opposition about their leader, their policy and plans as they have come together only to remove him from power, he said his government's commitment to welfare of people is well-known and it is uncompromising on corruption and unforgiving on terrorism.
"If 40 is ours, tomorrow is ours," he said, in a reference to the state's 39 Lok Sabha seats and one in Puducherry.
--IANS
vj/vd
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
