'UP wala' Modi spoke about hope to people of Saharanpur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday asserted that a mood of hope pervaded the country replacing hopelessness that prevailed under the UPA rule as he pitched his government as one dedicated to the poor and farmers which prevented the "loot" of public money.

 

Addressing the first of his four public rallies here in Uttar Pradesh, which will have assembly polls next year, to mark the second anniversary of his government, Modi reached out to the electorate, calling himself a "UP wala" who cared for the farmers.

 

Asserting that India was growing at the fastest rate, Modi said only two years ago many thought the country had "sunk".

 

There was a mood of hopelessness while there are hope and enthusiasm today. Earlier there was a mood of unease, now it is about moving forward," he said.

 

He also attacked the previous Congress-led government over corruption, while flagging his government's "honest" credentials.

 

"Look at the newspapers and TV channels two years ago. Corruption in high places was the norm. I am now in the government and I am shocked how past governments have looted the country.

 

"Are governments installed to loot? I am here to end that culture. I want to ask you have you heard of any news about our government looting even a rupee? Have even our critics managed to accuse us of corruption? Two years ago no one had the courage to come to the people and ask them for an opinion, he said.

 

Are governments installed to loot? I am here to end that culture. I want to ask you have you heard of any news about our government looting even a rupee? Have even our critics managed to accuse us of corruption? Two years ago no one had the courage to come to the people and ask them for an opinion

 

The Prime Minister repeatedly spoke of his "pro-poor" and "pro-farmer" schemes throughout his half-an-hour speech and took swipes at the previous Congress-led government by raising the issue of corruption and speaking of BJP’s taint free governance.

 

He said his government had taken a series of measures to help clear the dues of sugarcane farmers, a politically important constituency in the region while other governments were not concerned about them.

 

"Many people are minutely looking at my record. My work is being closely watched. I welcome this oversight. Governments must give an account of every second. That’s why I say that out of 18000 villages which had no electricity till the rule of the previous government; we have electrified 7000 in just 300 days of our Government," he said.

 

Flanked by Cabinet colleague Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP in-charge of UP Om Mathur and UP state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, Modi delivered another important message– one of solidarity with all communities.