New Delhi: Addressing the nation on the 72nd Independence Day, in his final speech before the 2019 elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually kickstarted his campaign for the battle royale by targeting the Congress-led UPA’s “inefficient and ineffective” regime. Modi also highlighted his government’s efforts to protect the interest of Dalits and backward classes and the two communities being wooed by the BJP in the elections and said the recent Parliament session was dedicated to social justice. Comparing his regime with that of 2013, the Prime Minister tried to project himself as an agent of change. BJP’s “vikas purush”, thundered from the ramparts of the Red Fort: “Main besabr hun, kyunki jo desh humse aage nikal chuke hain, hume unse bhi aage jana hain.” (I am impatient to take the nation ahead of those countries that have already left us behind). Attempting to make inroads into the minority community, particularly women, Mr Modi promised to bring in the triple talaq law. For trouble-torn Kashmir, he offered a healing touch. Looking south, mainly towards Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister quoted Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharati and said in Tamil, “India will show the path to the world in ridding it of problems.”
His nearly 80-minute speech was a blend of statistics and statements. With elections around the corner and the Opposition gradually gearing up to corner him, the Prime Minister questioned their motives and criticism. “People make senseless allegations agaist me. Despite whatever is being said, I want to publicly acknowledge that I am impatient because children are still suffering from malnutrition. I am eager to provide quality of life and ease of living to countrymen,” he said.
Setting a tone for Lok sabha Polls, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that his government will launch the ambitious Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme on September 25 which aims at benefiting 50 crore Indians.
The government has decided to start the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aroyga Abhiyan in order to provide good healthcare facilities to the poor and common people, so that they receive free health facilities in big hospitals and also for serious ailments.
The Ayushman Bharat is a scheme of giving health assurance to 10 crore families or around 50 crore Indians of this country who will be given Rs 5 lakh cover per year, he said.
“On September 25, on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhay, it will be launched in the entire country. The result of this will be that the poor man will not suffer from illness, he will not have to borrow money (for his treatment).
“It will open new avenues of employment for youths and people from middle class. New hospitals will open,” he said.
The scheme aims to target the poor, deprived rural families and it identified an occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, as per the latest Socio Economic Caste Census data.
Speaking on the atrocities women in the country Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called for giving wide publicity to the cases in which rapists have been awarded the death sentence, saying it would instill fear in people with “demonic mindset.” Asserting that the rule of law is supreme for his government, the Prime Minister also asked people to inculcate values and respect for women in their children.
“The country, our society need to be rid off this demonic mindset,” said Mr Modi adding that the society needs to feel a million times more pain than a rape victim endures.
