National security punching bag for Congress: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress party, saying it had used the national security and defence sectors as “either a punching bag or a funding source”.
The Congress leaders on the one hand call the army chief names and mock at the (2016) surgical strike and on the other hand, they “have looted the defence sector from the jeep scam back in the 1940s and 50s to Bofors in the 80s, the AgustaWestland and submarine scam, among many others,” he said during his interaction with BJP workers in Tamil Nadu through video-conference from New Delhi.
“All they see is the way to make money even if it means the morale of our forces is diminished. Sadly, for the Congress, national security and the defence sector are either a punching bag or a funding source,” he said.
Modi said the country was proud of the armed forces and have faith in them and the government has ensured operational freedom for them to deal with those who harmed the nation. “The surgical strikes show how capable our forces are to give a strong answer to those who attack us,” he said. The PM had at his poll rally in Rajasthan recently slammed Rahul Gandhi for “raising doubts” over the cross-border surgical strike carried out by the Army in September 2016.
At his Saturday interaction, the PM said it was the BJP-led NDA government that fulfilled the long pending demand for One Rank One Pension for armed forces and veterans that was lying unattended for 40 years. “When we got the opportunity to implement the OROP, we did it with full sincerity,” he said, apparently referring to the previous UPA government, which he alleged had left a mere '500 crore “after much persuasion” for the OROP “which was nothing short of a cruel joke.”
As part of his nation-wide dialogue with BJP workers in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Modi said, “ours is a government that values your safety and well-being above everything.
We will do everything possible to protect India and the 130 crore Indians.” “We are a peace-loving nation but will not hesitate to give a fitting reply to anti-social elements that harm our people and disturb our development,” he said.
The Prime Minister said when it comes to national security, the morale of the forces was important. “Among the first things that the government did after coming to power was that we have conveyed to the soldiers that we value them. The soldier who is standing at the border knows that the country is standing behind him,” he said.
The PM said the Maoist terror, which had once affected many districts, was on the decline and there has been a major crackdown against Maoists and their sympathizers. “Forty four districts, which were earlier affected by left wing terrorism, show zero incidence of violence in the last four years,” he said, arguing all this could be achieved because “on the one hand, there has been sustained campaign by the security forces to fight back, while on the other, the government is making efforts to develop these regions”.
“In Kashmir, while we have reached out to the people in full measure, the army has struck a heavy blow to terror and eliminated terrorists in record numbers,” he claimed and said the recent panchayat polls were peaceful, which only showed great people’s participation. “Striking terrorists where it hurts them the most has become a new normal in India’s anti-terror policy,” PM said.
As part of enhancing the country’s security, Modi said, India’s pride, nuclear submarine INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol on November 5. “The success of INS Arihant enhances India’s security needs and it is a major achievement for our entire nation and with INS Arihant, India’s nuclear triad is complete,” he said, adding, “True to its name, INS Arihant will protect Indians from external threats and contribute to the atmosphere of peace in the region..will ensure peace”.
