Launching a frontal attack on the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused it of having a hidden agenda of “disintegrating Sanatana Dharma”.
He made his remarks criticising the Opposition on the ongoing Sanatana row while addressing rallies in Madhya Pradesh’s Bina district and Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh.
Mr. Modi, who had earlier told his ministerial colleagues that DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks comparing Sanatana Dharma to diseases such as dengue required a “proper response”, took up the attacking role himself.
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“By wiping off Sanatana they want to push the country towards one thousand years of slavery once again. But we have to join forces to stop such powers. With our organisational might and our unity in every corner of the country, we have to foil their plans,” said Mr. Modi while addressing a public meeting in Bina after laying foundation stone for projects worth ₹50,000 crore.
He also repeatedly referred to the INDIA bloc as “INDI Alliance” or the “Ghamandia [arrogant] Alliance”. “... there are some parties that are busy dividing the country and the society. They have made an INDI alliance, the Ghamandia alliance. Their leader has not been decided, there is confusion around their leadership, but in the meeting in Mumbai recently, I feel they have formulated the policy and strategy on how will this Ghamandia alliance will work,” he said.
He also invoked a host of historical and mythological figures to underscore that Sanatana represented “thoughts, values, and traditions that have connected India for thousands of years”. “Sanatana culture was a reflection of Dalit icon Saint Ravidas. It had inspired Mahatma Gandhi to run a movement against untouchability... The Mahatma’s last words were ‘Hey Ram’,” said Mr. Modi. He also mentioned that Ahilya Bai Holkar and Rani Lakshmibai, who have historical connect to Madhya Pradesh, were inspired by Sanatana.
In Raigarh too, the PM attacked the Opposition alliance, and alleged that it had been formed to “destroy Sanatana culture”.
The row kicked off on September 2 when Mr. Udayanidhi said that Sanatana Dharma, like dengue and malaria, “needed to be eradicated”. Since then there have been other leaders from the INDIA alliance – notably Mr. Udayanidhi’s party colleague A. Raja and Congress leader Priyank Kharge – who have expressed similar views on Sanatana. These remarks have been met with counter-allegations of “attack on faith” by the BJP.
While reserving a major chunk of his address in Bina, a district in Bundelkhand region, to attack the INDIA bloc, Mr. Modi also spoke of other governance and development initiatives. He said that the outlay of ₹50,000 crore was higher than the annual Budgets of many Indian States.
“I can guarantee that the modern petrochemical complex to be built in Bina will take this entire region to new heights of development. Due to this, new industries will be established here. Not only will the farmers and small entrepreneurs here get help, the biggest thing is that the youth will also get thousands of employment opportunities,” he said.
At the rally in Raigarh, he attacked the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh, and said that “false campaigns and neck-deep corruption” were its markers. He also made a pitch for the “same government in Raipur and Delhi” as elections are scheduled in the State later this year.
On the corruption issue, the Prime Minister referred to the Godhan Nyay Yojana of the Chhattisgarh government (to promote organic farming) and the alleged irregularities in spending the District Mineral Fund.
He claimed that it did not even spare cow dung or the mineral wealth of Chhattisgarh. “The BJP government at the Centre has been providing about four crore houses to poor families across the country in the past nine years. We wanted that the poor families of Chhattisgarh to also get the benefit of PM Awas Yojana, but the Congress government here did not provide the permanent houses to the poor. Be it women’s welfare, PM Samman Nidhi Yojana, or Har Ghar Jal Yojana, from welfare of the poor to youth skilling and employment schemes, the Congress government here has left Chhattisgarh far behind,” he alleged.
Mr. Modi also promised to end sickle cell anemia that many in the State suffer from, highlighting how it impacted various aspects of their lives.
Earlier, Mr. Modi dedicated to the nation railway projects worth around ₹6,350 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for ‘critical care blocks’ of 50 beds each in nine districts of Chattisgarh and distributed 1 lakh sickle cell counselling cards to the screened population.
Modi, Singh Deo display warmth
Unlike the rally where Mr. Modi tore into the Opposition, there was bonhomie between him and Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo, who said that in his experience the State had never suffered any discrimination “while working with the Centre”. Mr. Modi later expressed agreement with Mr. Singh Deo’s statement that the Centre and the State had to go forward together. The PM also described Chhattisgarh as the powerhouse of the country.
