'Modi hai to Mumkin Hai' BJP slogan for 2019 election: Arun Jaitley
New Delhi, Mar 14: Seeking to encash Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image of a doer, BJP has chosen the slogan of 'Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai' 'Modi makes it possible' for the upcoming general elections, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday.
Modi, he added, has demonstrated during the last five years indefatigability by literally working round-the-clock, Jaitley said in the 'Agenda 2019 Part-4' blogpost.
He further said Modi as a quick learner has demonstrated his ability to take quick decisions on complicated matters with clarity and determination.
"His image as a doer is now recognised by most Indians. Many India observers across the world have marvelled with India's pace of taking decisions and implementing them. The BJP, therefore, has chosen an effective slogan for the forthcoming elections 'Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai' 'Modi makes it possible'," said Jaitley, who is also in-charge of the publicity division of BJP for 2019 general elections.
Recalling some landmark achievements of the government, he said for the first time for five years in a row, India has remained the fastest growing major economy in the world and also a 'sweet spot' in the global economy.
"It is both the motivation and the leadership which made the vital difference. It is precisely for this reason that India will witness an election where people will get an opportunity to endorse Prime Minister Modi's leadership, decisiveness, integrity and performance. Indeed he makes it possible," the finance minister said.
Among other things, Jaitley also said during Modi's premiership, India demonstrated through surgical strike of 2016 and air-strike of 2019 against Pakistan that it was willing to adopt unconventional methods of attacking terror at the point of its origin.
The other achievements of the government, he said, were bringing down inflation from 10.4 per cent during the UPA regime to 2.5 per cent presently, running an honest government and providing 10 per cent reservation in public employment and educational institutions for economically weaker sections in unreserved category.
The government, he said, has also provided income support to poor farmers and pension scheme for the unorganised labour in the country.
Other achievements of the government were the smoothest implementation of GST, free medical treatment to the poor under Ayushman Bharat scheme and 100 per cent electrification of all households, he said.
"The above is only an illustrative list of the kinds of strides India is making. Has any government done more? It was the same governmental machinery, the same political system, the same implementation instruments that the government had at its disposal. It is both the motivation and the leadership which made the vital difference," Jaitley said.
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Modi govt by changing name of MGNREGA exposed its 'hatred' towards Gandhi: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempting to change the name and structure of the MGNREGA, has itself exposed its "hatred" towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi.
He also accused the Centre of "altering" the very structure of the scheme, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, and called Modi "anti federal".
Suggesting that the NDA government at the Centre start a "Ministry of Name Change", with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio, the CM warned of a statewide agitation against this name change move.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
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"The Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is attempting to change the name and structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has itself exposed its hatred towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Implemented by the UPA government 20 years ago, the MGNREGA scheme has played a crucial role in eradicating unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said, adding that "this scheme, which guarantees the right to employment to every individual, has received praise from economists both in India and abroad."
Noting that MGNREGA was a genuine form of employment guarantee, the CM said the proposed new structure under the Modi government strips away that guarantee and places the assurance of work at the whims of political leaders.
"This will further deepen caste discrimination and social inequality," he claimed.
Highlighting that the NDA government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA, a scheme whose entire expenditure was earlier borne by the Central government, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, Siddaramaiah said this stands as clear evidence of the "anti-federal attitude" that Prime Minister Modi has followed ever since coming to power.
"This move will also increase the migration of poor people in search of work as the proposed form does not guarantee employment in their own location -- forcing families to travel long distances to survive," he said.
Naming this scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who sowed the dream of Gram Swaraj, was a meaningful decision, the CM said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulges in praising Gandhi during his foreign tours, within the country he has consistently engaged in attempts to erase Gandhi's legacy from key national programmes. From a parivar that seeks to glorify Gandhi's assassin Godse, what different conduct can one really expect?"
"Narendra Modi is widely known for simply changing the names of landmark schemes launched by the UPA government rather than preserving or strengthening them. It would be more appropriate for this government to start a 'Ministry of Name Change,' with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio," he said.
More than 25 flagship programmes launched during earlier governments were merely renamed or repackaged by the present regime, the CM further said, listing out that the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was rechristened as the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme was rebranded as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, among others.
"These changes reflect a consistent pattern of altering names rather than fundamentally strengthening or expanding the original intent of these welfare initiatives," he added.
Stating that the Congress party and state government strongly condemn this "anti-people" decision of the Narendra Modi government, which has snatched food from the plates of the poor, insulted Bapu, and attempted to strangle state governments financially, Siddaramaiah warned about launching a statewide agitation against this move.
"The responsibility of preserving the MGNREGA scheme in its original form must also be taken up by the lakhs of beneficiaries of the scheme. They must hold the BJP leaders of the state accountable and exert pressure on them to raise their voices against this injustice, rising above party lines," he said.
