Development best reply to every form of violence: Modi
Bhilai, June 14: Development is the only and best answer to every form of violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Thursday as he inaugurated projects for Chhattisgarh worth Rs 22,000 crore.
"The mention of Bastar used to invoke images of guns, bombs and violence. Today, this region is known for Jagdalpur airport. I believe that to every form of violence there is only one reply and it is development," he said in his address to a gathering after flagging off the first flight between Jagdalpur and Chhattisgarh capital Raipur.
In the region where the previous governments did not dare to build even roads, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments of the Centre and the state have built an airport.
"Now, the travel time between Raipur and Jagdalpur will be shortened to just 40 minutes from the earlier 6-7 hours. Thanks to the policies of our government, today more people are flying than those travelling in trains' AC coaches," Modi said.
He said the increased connectivity will attract industry, give a boost to employment and as a result will generate more employment.
Earlier, Modi also dedicated the modernised and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant to the nation and distributed laptops and cheques to beneficiaries.
He said peace, stability and law and order were the prerequisite for development and the BJP government in Chhattisgarh led by Chief Minister Raman Singh had provided that and embarked the state on the path of progress.
"Raman Singh, with his hard work, has taken further the vision of (former Prime Minister) Atalji (Bihari Vajpayee), which gives us pleasure. The state is moving ahead with pace on the paths pf development," he said.
The Prime Minister said his government altered the laws to make sure a certain part of the income from the minerals extracted from Chhattisgarh is spent on the welfare of the people including the Adivasis.
Targetting the political rivals, Modi, who is on a day-long visit to the state, said the previous Congress-led UPA government did not approve the project of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bhilai as mooted by the Raman Singh government, but "today, we have laid the foundation stone of an IIT campus in Bhilai".
Also inaugurating the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur Smart City, he also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of phase-2 of BharatNet.A
He later visited Blast Furnace-8 at the Bhilai Steel Plant, and was briefed on various aspects of the Plant. People lined the streets of Bhilai to greet the Prime Minister.
The second Prime Minister to visit the Bhilai Steel Plant after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who last visited it in 1963, Modi said that the Plant has contributed in a big way to nation-building. He said the modernized and expanded plant would be instrumental in building a strong foundation for New India.
He also spoke of the benefits that the other development projects launched would bring about.
The Prime Minister said that in the last two months, the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan has had a very positive effect.
"This Abhiyan (mission) is being pursued vigorously in the 115 Aspirational Districts, out of which 12 districts are in Chhattisgarh," he said mentioning about the benefit that schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana and Saubhagya have brought about in the State.
Modi said that keeping in mind the interests of the tribal population, the Forest Rights Act is being strictly implemented. He said the government is working for the welfare of tribals and Eklavya Vidyalayas are being established across the country.
Raman Singh on the occasion slammed the Congress-led UPA government for delaying proposal of establishment of IIT at Bhilai.
"During UPA, I requested for IIT Bhilai many a time but was not approved. When Modiji became Prime Minister, I met him and he immediately agreed for it. Ho told me to go and announce it's establishment," Singh said amid chants of Modi-Modi.
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What was the need to disrespect 82-year-old leader: Priyanka slams PM
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of disrespecting Mallikarjun Kharge by not replying to the Congress president's letter himself, and said it is unfortunate that leaders in the highest positions have rejected great traditions of democracy.
The Congress general secretary said today's politics is full of poison and the prime minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind.
On Tuesday, Kharge had written a letter to the prime minister and raised the issue of "extremely objectionable" and violent statements by the ruling alliance members targeting Rahul Gandhi, urging him to discipline his leaders.
In response to Kharge's letter to Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda wrote to the Congress president and cited his party's own litany of complaints against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and other Congress members for their choice of words against the prime minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said that in view of the unrestrained and violent statements of some BJP leaders and ministers, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Kharge wrote a letter to the PM, concerned about the safety of the life of Rahul Gandhi.
"If the Prime Minister had faith in democratic values, balanced dialogue and respect for elders, he would have himself replied to this letter.
Instead, he got a low-level and aggressive reply written by Nadda ji and sent it," she said.
What was the need to disrespect an 82-year-old senior public leader, Priyanka Gandhi asked.
"The tradition and culture of democracy is to ask questions and have a dialogue. Even in religion, no one is above values such as dignity and etiquette," she said.
"Today's politics is full of poison, the Prime Minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind," Priyanka Gandhi said.
If the PM had respectfully replied to the letter of a senior politician, his image and dignity would have increased in the eyes of the public, she said.
"It is unfortunate that our leaders in the highest positions in the government have rejected these great traditions," Priyanka Gandhi said.
The Congress on Thursday had said Prime Minister Modi must rise above "petty politics" and condemn the actions of the ruling alliance leaders, who targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The opposition party had asserted the whole world is watching how the ruling BJP is "putting the life of the Leader of the Opposition in danger".
The assertion came in a letter by AICC general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh to Nadda in response to the BJP chief's letter to Kharge earlier.
The opposition party has slammed as "intemperate" and "juvenile" Nadda's reply to Kharge on his letter to Prime Minister Modi flagging "threats" aimed at Gandhi.
