Modi@2: Just Days After Verdict 2016, BJP Campaigns in UP for 2017
The BJP-led NDA government will complete two years of its governance on 26 May.
- Modi started the UP campaign for the BJP in Saharanpur on the party’s two-year anniversary of being in power.
- He addressed a mega rally and drew attention to progress the country has made over the past two years.
- Women empowerment, respite for farmers and corruption were the issues brought up.
- Modi said that the retirement age for doctors has been increased to 65.
- Earlier in the day on 26 March, Congress said there is no reason to celebrate since there has been no progress.
- AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal also criticised Modi’s expenditure on advertisements marking the completion of the Central government’s two year in office.
- Shiv Sena criticised Modi’s leadership, claiming the schemes and money promised by his government aren’t reaching the people.
On 26 May, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kickstarted its election campaign in Saharanpur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a mega rally on the two-year anniversary of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government being in power.
BJP’s Campaign Starts in Uttar Pradesh
Modi arrived in Saharanpur to address a rally of BJP supporters.
The Prime Minister said he has set a path for accelerated growth that the states now need to help navigate. Modi said that many of the changes he has put in place would have been regarded in previous administrations as difficult to implement.
The Prime Minister also said he would look to states to further liberalise the country’s rigid labour laws.
He said he expects the long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill to be passed this year. The bill has been stuck in the Rajya Sabha of parliament, where the government is in a minority.
Union Minister and BJP member Rajnath Singh also spoke at the rally about the progress India has experienced under the BJP.
Modi Celebrates in Saharanpur
Narendra Modi arrived in Saharanpur to celebrate two years in office. He addressed the mega rally and said:
Modi affirmed that during two years of being in office, his government has made policy changes to curb corruption and opened up more of the economy to foreign investment while filling gaps in rural infrastructure.
Respite for Farmers
Modi claimed that his government has been working tirelessly to eradicate poverty, and improve water and electricity supply, while successive governments in Uttar Pradesh have only fooled farmers.
Retirement Age Increased for Doctors
Citing shortage of doctors, Modi announced raising the age of retirement of government doctors to 65 years and said the Union Cabinet will give its nod to the decision this week.
The decision will cover all government doctors whether serving under states or the central dispensation, he said.
Women Empowerment Important for Progress
While addressing the rally, Modi also talked about women empowerment and its importance in the progress of any country. He raised the issue of female infanticide and added that the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign is for all, irrespective of their caste or community.
Congress Speaks Out Against BJP
In a press conference held by the All India Congress Committee earlier on Thursday, senior Congress leader, Kapil Sibal said that the government has no reason to celebrate, as nothing substantial was achieved in the last two years.
Leader of Oppostion, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Modi government have been surviving on hollow promises and advertisements.
None of Modi’s Promises Has Been Fulfilled: Congress
Joining AAP and Shiv Sena in their criticism of the Modi government, the Congress said on Thursday that none of the promises made by the BJP and Modi before the elections in 2014, have been fulfilled.
Kejriwal Criticises Anniversary Expenditure
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for his expenditure on advertisements marking the completion of the central government’s two year in office.
The AAP government had also faced flak from the opposition parties over printing advertisements during the second phase of the Delhi government’s odd-even scheme in the national capital between 15 to 30 April.
The BJP-led NDA completes two years at the Centre on 26 May. Prime Minister Modi in an interview to the Wall Street Journal said economic reforms are on course but there is still a long way to go.
Looking at the three years ahead, Modi spoke with cautious optimism.
BJP President Amit Shah congratulated the party and Modi’s governance for all that the government has delivered in the last two years.
Shiv Sena Takes a Dig at Modi’s Foreign Trips, Yet Again
The party’s ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena criticised Modi’s leadership, saying that the schemes and money promised by his government aren’t reaching the people - reflected in the massive rise in the number of farmer suicides, CNN News18 reported.
The party also asked the Prime Minister to decide whether his residence is in the country or outside of it.
Also, Amitabh Bachchan, whose name was listed in the Panama Papers leak, will host an event to celebrate the two years of the Modi government at India Gate on 28 May. The news garnered a lot of criticism from the Congress.
Chief Spokesperson of Congress, Randeep Surjewala said that sharing the same stage as Bachchan wouldn’t give a good message. He referred, in particular, to the number of times Modi vowed to bring back black money stashed abroad and punish the guilty.
The event, to be hosted by Bachchan, will be called Zara Muskura Do (Smile Please). The broadcast rights to the event are with Doordarshan. The event is aimed at highlighting the “achievements” of the Modi government, particularly Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Digital India and rural electrification.
The government had formed a panel of ministers to look after the preparations of the show. The team includes:
- Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu
- Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari
- Power Minister Piyush Goyal
Minister of State
- Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had asked various ministries to provide details of their achievements. BJP has also planned to hold over 200 events across the country between 26 May and 10 June to mark the occasion. Modi is likely to address rallies in several places, starting with Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on 26 May.
(With agency inputs)
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