JUNE 24- Virtually launching BJP’s campaign for 2014 elections, Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat said the country had ‘two bosses’ and one does not know who is ‘genuine’, a veiled reference to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Addressing his first public rally afer being made the Chairman of BJP’s Election Campaign Committee early this month, Modi asked people to get rid of the Congress-led UPA government, saying the country cannot afford to see them remain in power any more.
“Your (people’s) future is not safe in their hands…we cannot play with the future of our youth”, he said, adddressing a ‘Sankalp rally’ in this town on Jammu and Kashmir-Punjab border to commemmorate 60th death anniversary of Bhartiya Jan Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Invoking Mookerjee’s slogan against two heads in one system, he said a similar situation existed on Sunday.
“There are two bosses in the country and we do not know who of the two is genuine,” he said, adding “It must be our dream to get the country rid of these two.”
“It has become difficult to identify that who is running the country,” he said, apparently referring to the Prime Minister and the Congress President.
Speaking of the rapid slide in the rupees’ value against dollar, Modi said Congress was competing with rupees as to who could fall more.
He attacked the UPA government over its Kashmir policy, economy and national security, saying it has failed on all fronts.
Modi talked about the need to ‘heal the wounds’ of Kashmiris and connect its aspiring youths with the national mainstream for the development of the border state.
Often described by critics as a divisive figure, Modi sought to portray himself as a leader who unifies, saying he would work for bringing parties and hearts together.
Modi also invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the task he left incomplete would be pursued by BJP if voted to power.
“Vajpayee had sought to win over the heart of Kashmir with compassion, love and dialogue…Had he been elected to power in 2004, he would have succeeded in his Kashmir policy.”
Kashmiri youths were aspiring for development and progress and they needed to be connected with the national mainstream, he said.
“The youths in Kashmir valley want to be part of development. Guns can spill blood but will do no good to one’s life,” he said.
“Atal Bihari Vajpayee played a great role in addressing the Kashmir issue…If NDA would have formed the government in 2004, the Kashmir issue would have been resolved. Kashmiri Pandits would have got justice. Youth of J&K would have been employed and the state would have seen development.”
INDIA TODAY
