Video Producer: Anubhav Mishra
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday slammed opposition parties, holding them accountable for what he called the "ills the country has been facing for 70 years".
Attacking them for calling industrialists "chor and lootere", Modi said that he does not hesitate standing beside them as his “intentions are noble”.
We aren’t afraid of standing next to businessmen. There are people who may not have photos with businessmen, but have made businessmen bow to them in their houses. If your intentions are noble, then you won’t be tainted, no matter who you are standing with.Prime Minister Narendra Modi
He congratulated the Uttar Pradesh government and industrialists for their commitment to development.
Modi said those who look for issues to criticise him should note that whatever mistake they find dates back to 70 years.
The prime minister also took the opportunity to attack his political rivals who have been ridiculing his frequent visits to the state and saying that it smacks of his nervousness ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
As an MP from the state, I will come twice, five times, ten times... I am your MP and will keep visiting (the state).Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Modi was speaking at the launch of 81 investment projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore for Uttar Pradesh at a mega ground-breaking event.
Around 80 leading industrialists, including Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Essel Group and Sanjeev Puri, MD, ITC, apart from top magnates of other major business houses, participated in the event.
This comes close on the heels of the 'Investors Summit' held in February this year.
Modi lauded the UP government for attracting huge investments. He said:
I have been chief minister for a long time and getting Rs 60,000 crore investment is a big achievement. I congratulate officers also for the unimaginable work. Some persons are calling it a ground-breaking ceremony, but this is a record-breaking ceremony.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)