Public anger forced Congress to change Karnataka CM: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed public anger forced the Congress to change Karnataka’s chief minister and accused the party of thriving on chaos and uncertainty. He highlighted India’s self-reliance, energy security, infrastructure growth and electoral support for the BJP
Surat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said “immense public anger” forced the Congress to change its CM in Karnataka and accused the party of spreading chaos and uncertainty in the last 12 years and seeking political and electoral opportunities in them.
He noted the current decade is proving to be a period of crises for the world and referred to the COVID-9 pandemic, wars and now energy crisis in the wake of the West Asia conflict, but asserted India faced each of these challenges with strength and resilience through the collective efforts of its 140 crore citizens.
He was addressing a gathering in Surat after inaugurating and laying foundation stones for development projects of Rs 18,000 crore in Gujarat. Modi said the ongoing global crisis highlights just how crucial energy self-reliance is, and underscores the importance of the capacity the country has built over the past 12 years, and targeted the Opposition for constantly mocking his government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The Prime Minister pointed out that voters have repeatedly given mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as they trust his government’s development initiatives and growth-driven agenda for the country.
This was reflected in the massive mandate the BJP-led NDA received in the recent elections in West Bengal, Assam, and Puducherry, and in panchayat and municipal corporation polls taking place across the country, he stated.
“Every election conveys the same message: the nation does not like anarchy, uncertainty, or despair. For the past 12 years, the Congress has been seeking opportunities amidst the chaos and uncertainty it has spread, yet the people of the country have repeatedly given it a fitting reply,” he added.
Modi said the people of Gujarat have pushed the Congress to the margins, and even in states where it is in power, the public is fed up with its misgovernance, citing the results of local body polls held recently in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. People in these states have delivered a clear message, that the Congress’s politics of seeking opportunity amidst chaos will not work, Modi insisted.
“People are unhappy wherever the Congress party is in power. There is also immense public anger regarding the Congress government in Karnataka; that is precisely why the party had to replace its Chief Minister there,” he said, referring to DK Shivakumar taking over as the CM replacing Siddharamaiah in the southern state on June 3.
“India has moved far beyond negativity. It is a nation of boundless optimism and extraordinary aspirations,” he emphahsised. Modi affirmed his government worked to build capacity over the past 12 years to make India self-reliant in energy, and the ongoing global crisis has only highlighted this.
“On one hand, we secured oil and gas supplies from various parts of the world and on the other, we ramped up historic investments in renewable energy,” he told the gathering.
In the last 12 years, India’s solar energy generation grew to 250 GW from negligible level, ethanol blending capacity expanded, Railway electrification accelerated, nuclear energy initiatives advanced. Also power transmission networks were modernised, gas pipeline coverage expanded, port capacities to facilitate transport and storage of petroleum products were modernized and enlarged, he said.
The PM said amid his government’s focus on self-reliance, there are “some pessimists” in the country who constantly mock the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
“They consistently belittle this national resolve. These are the people who have always kept India dependent on other nations. They forget that a country dependent on others can never attain the heights of development it truly deserves,” he insisted.
To accelerate the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, the country is currently focusing heavily on connectivity. Projects like the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, the Dedicated Freight Corridor, and the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train corridor reflect this priority of India, he stated.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the world has become increasingly conscious of the shift towards a green future, and is making cautious, incremental strides in that direction, comments coming on Environment Day.
India, too, is working extensively on ‘green growth,’ with Gujarat having taken decisive steps in this regard years ago, he said .”Today, India operates on the mantra of ‘progress alongside nature’ — prioritising both the economy and ecology. This is clearly evident in Surat with its ‘circular water economy’ where the city’s wastewater is treated and supplied to industries,” Modi maintained.
The capacity Gujarat has built in sectors like oil refining, solar and wind power over the years is proving immensely beneficial to the nation, he stated.
“Today, India’s renewable energy capacity stands at 250 GW, with Gujarat alone contributing 50 GW,” told the gathering. Earlier in the day, the PM visited Larsen & Toubro’s Hazira facility in Surat district and reviewed the ongoing industrial operations and infrastructure projects.
Modi visited the AM Naik Heavy Engineering Complex, L&T’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, and was shown around the facility by company officials.
He was briefed on the ‘Zorawar’ tanks and other defence equipment manufactured at the facility. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and L&T Defence have developed the air-transportable 25-tonne tank designed for rapid deployment largely along the frontier with China.
