 "Narendra Modi")
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to repose faith in the saffron party, claiming BJP-ruled states had made more progress than those where governments had been changed frequently. He slammed the Centre for curtailing the industrial package for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
Citing the example of Chhattisgarh, carved out in 2000 along with Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, Modi said progress there was definitely more than the other two states, where governments had been frequently changed in 13 years. “People have not changed governments in Chhattisgarh during the past 13 years. If you make a comparison, Chhattisgarh is far ahead of Uttarakhand and Jharkhand,” he told a huge rally here, his speech mostly restricted to issues pertaining to Uttarakhand.
He expressed concern over the plight of people affected by the floods in Uttarakhand this year. “I am amazed that both the Centre and state governments are using all their energies to attack Baba Ramdev. If they would have used half of this energy for the benefit of the disaster-affected people, the results would have been different,” he said.
Stating the former National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had come out with an industrial package comprising tax sops for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Modi criticised the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for curtailing the package from 10 years to seven years, which in turn hampered industrial development in the two states. “When this package came in 2003, the Congress was ruling in both states. Despite that, the NDA government came out with a tax package meant for industrial development in the two states. Even some industries from Gujarat established new units in Uttarakhand. But when the UPA government came, it curtailed the package,” Modi said.
With an aim to stop the migration of youth from the hills, Modi said Uttarakhand, having vast natural beauty, should be made a spiritual environmental zone (SEZ). “If Mecca can earn billions of dollars through religious tourism, why can’t states like Uttarakhand also make progress through spiritual tourism? I think Uttarakhand should be made an SEZ of spirituality,” he said, adding the hill state should also promote adventure tourism to attract tourists.
He said other areas where Uttarakhand could make progress was herbal medicines. “If China can become the largest exporter of herbal medicines today, why can’t we also take a lead in the sector? We know very well that rare herbs are found in the Himalayas and we have to just give a push to this sector,” he said. Surprisingly, Modi in his speech also favoured harnessing of river water for electricity despite strong opposition to it from the Sangh Parivar.
He also took Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to task for seeking support on the Lok Pal Bill, saying the Congress must explain first why the Uttarakhand government was not implementing its Lok Ayukta Bill despite getting assent from President Pranab Mukherjee. “Even at that time, Anna Hazare had lauded the Lok Ayukta Bill brought by (former chief minister) B C Khanduri. Why is it not being implemented now?” he asked.
On the recent Assembly results in four states, Modi said, “The results have made it clear that it is the beginning of a Congress-free India.”
