It's strength of Babasaheb's Constitution that chaiwala is PM: Modi
Aligarh, (UP), Apr 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday hailed the contribution of Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, saying it is the strength of the Constitution given by him that people from humble backgrounds are holding post of president, vice-president and PM.
Modi also attacked the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh and said those who are not fighting all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, are dreaming to become prime minister.
"It is the strength of Babasaheb's Constitution that a gentleman hailing from deprived and exploited class has become the president (Ram Nath Kovind), while the vice-president ( M Venkaiah Naidu) is from a farmer's family," he said at a rally here on the 128th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.
"Thanks to Babasaheb's Constitution, a 'chaiwala' (teaseller) is holding the prime minister's post," Modi said.
Later at a rally in Moradabad, he attacked the opposition alliance, saying the 'mahamilavat' (highly adulterated) will face a "mahagiravat" a grand fall.
"Mahamilavat ka maha giravat tay hai (the grand fall of the highly adulterated alliance is certain)," the prime minister said.
Back in Aligarh, in an apparent jibe at the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said, "(Parties of) those who are not fighting on 40 Lok Sabha seats, are dreaming to become prime minister."
The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting 38 Lok Sabha seats, while the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded candidates from 37 parliamentary constituencies.
There are three Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidates in the poll fray from the state. The alliance has not fielded candidates from Raebareli and Amethi, the two Congress bastions in the state.
"With your support, your 'chowkidar (watchman)' has made an effort to follow the path shown by Babasaheb, and ran the government on the mantra of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' (together with all, development for all)," he said.
Besides, following the path shown by Babasaheb, "we have also made an effort to honour him in the country's history of which he is a rightful claimant," Modi said, adding that five places associated with Ambedkar are being developed as 'panchteerth'.
The prime minister, attacking the Congress, said, "We should not forget what was done to Babasaheb. He was a great economist, policy-maker, writer and a legal luminary."
"The social circumstances in which Babasaheb attained such great heights, were extraordinary and unprecedented. This is a major reason why the Congress could not tolerate Babasaheb," he said.
In a veiled attack on rival parties that claim to be followers of Ambedkar, Modi said, "The politics of Uttar Pradesh has seen an era in which he (Ambedkar) had been deceived after initial promises to follow his path."
"Some people wanted to change politics, but they changed their slogans -- 'sabse pehle parivaar aur baad mein rishtedar (first the family and then the relatives)," he said
These are the people who in order to fulfil their vested interests have forgotten the trauma which the people in western Uttar Pradesh had to go through, Modi said.
"The entire country had witnessed how people in western UP had to leave their houses and business and go to other places, everyone has seen. When western UP was burning, who was the one who shielded the guilty," Modi said without naming anybody or any incident.
The prime minister said the people in western parts of the state understand the nuances of their vested interest.
Targeting the SP and the BSP, Modi said they have failed to read the mood of the electorate.
"UP has told them (SP and BSP) in 2014 that people do not want caste-driven politics, they want development. UP in 2017 said instead of vested caste-driven politics, it wants sabka saath, sabka vikas.
"The SP and BSP do not want to accept the truth...UP's poll results this time will compel them to buy locks from Aligarh," he said in the city which is famous for its lock industry.
Modi, in Moradabad, also assailed Mayawati for seeking votes for a candidate who had allegedly called BR Ambedkar a 'land mafia'.
Referring to the BSP chief's support to SP's Rampur candidate Azam Khan, he said, "Mayawati is today seeking votes for the candidate who had termed Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar as a 'bhoo-mafia' (land mafia) and had encroached Dalit hamlets in the name of a university," the prime minister alleged.
Khan had in 2016 allegedly termed the Father of the Constitution as someone who "grabs land". An FIR was registered against him two years later.
In the last three days "you must have noticed that how a competition to hurl abuses towards the chowkidar is going on," Modi said in Aligarh.
"The artists of the 'mahamilawat (adulterated alliance)' have unleashed (themselves) on Modi. After all, what happened in the past 2-3 days? Actually, after the first phase of polling, their survival chances are very slim, and they know this very well. In fact they are now standing at the brink of defeat," he said.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
