Seeking to strike an emotional chord with the people of Telangana, Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the Congress for killing Telugu spirit in the process of carving out a separate state.
BJP’s Prime Ministerial nominee also sharply criticised the ruling party for erasing the legacy of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao.
Addressing a public meeting in Nizamabad on Tuesday, Modi said, “Congress went about the way of creating Telangana state like a doctor who facilitated birth of a child, but killing its mother,” by which he said he meant Telugu spirit, language, culture and tradition.
“Giving birth to a child is a matter of joy, but the child can’t be raised by killing the mother,” the Gujarat Chief Minister said.
Attacking the Congress and TRS for taking credit for the formation of the state, without naming them, he said they are telling lies.
“It was BJP’s decision to create Telangana. We have never made it a secret.” “Telangana statehood demand was conceded following the sacrifice of the people,” Modi said adding a wrong vote in the coming elections amounts to discarding the sacrifice of 1,100 people who killed themselves for the cause of the state, and rubbing salt into the wounds of their mothers.
“I have come here to take responsibility for the future of Telangana,” he said, appealing to the people to support the BJP.
He said the new state needs special care and nursing. Modi said more than three lakh people from Telangana are staying in Surat in Gujarat, his home State.
“I have the experience of taking care of Telangana people. Vote for BJP both at the Centre and state and you can have ‘laddus’ in both your hands,” he said.
Praising Narasimha Rao, he said the country believes his tenure as Prime Minister was a good one.
Telugu cinema’s superstar Pawan Kalyan, who recently declared his support to Modi, shared the dais with him.
Modi said, “If the country has youth like him (Kalyan), Telugu spirit will never die.”
He said development should take place in both Telangana and Seemandhra and Telugu spirit should be protected.
Modi disapproves of petty statements
Embarrassed by hate speeches from the saffron camp, Narendra Modi disapproved of petty statements by those claiming to be BJP’s well-wishers saying they are deviating the campaign.
“Petty statements by those claiming to be BJP’s well- wishers are deviating the campaign from the issues of development and good governance.
“I disapprove (of) any such irresponsible statements and appeal to those making them to kindly refrain from doing so,” Modi said in a series of tweets as controversial statements by VHP leader Pravin Togadia and Bihar BJP leader Giriraj Singh were denounced by rivals and allies of BJP.
“With great happiness, the entire nation is looking toward BJP for going to people solely on the issue of good governance and development,” Modi said in one of his tweets.
Modi, however, did not take any name but it was clear he was obviously referring to Togadia and Giriraj Singh, who had made hate speeches in the last three days.
Togadia, who is not on best of relations with Modi, created a storm when he had asked his supporters to forcibly vacate a house purchased by a Muslim in a Hindu-majority area of Bhavnagar.
Giriraj Singh, a former minister and a candidate in the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, had said that those opposing Modi had no place in India but should go to Pakistan.
Following a storm over his remarks, Togadia has denied giving any advise which was “socially or legally wrong” and threatened to take legal action against media houses.
Despite, the party president Rajnath Singh pulling him up, Giriraj Singh has said he stood by his comments.