- Thursday, May 02, 2024
The Indian PM, who was speaking in an election rally, said the neighbour which was supplying ‘aatank’ (terror), was now struggling to get ‘aata’ (flour).
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (19) took an indirect dig at neighbour Pakistan saying a country which was a supplier of ‘aatank’ (terror) is struggling for ‘aata’ (flour) nowadays.
Speaking at an election rally in Damoh in the central state of Madhya Pradesh the day India’s general elections kicked off, the prime minister said the country, which once bought most of his arms from overseas, was now exporting high-tech weapons to other nations, and also referred to providing BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, which also happened the same day.
Citing the prevailing situation in the world, Modi pitched for a strong and stable government in New Delhi.
“There are many countries in the world whose condition has worsened. Many are getting bankrupt. Even one of our neighbours, which was a supplier of ‘aatank’ (terrorism), is now struggling for supply of ‘aata’ (flour),” Modi said, targeting Pakistan, which has been going through a serious economic crisis and is depending on external aid for survival.
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The PM asserted his government works with the principle of “Rashtra Pratham” (nation first) and never succumbs to pressure from any quarter or bows before anyone.
Defending India’s move to purchase oil from Russia in face of international pressure after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he said, “To ensure that the people of the country get cheap oil and farmers get adequate fertilisers, we have taken this decision in the national interest.
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“We have seen in the last 10 years how a stable government works in the interest of the people. During the COVID-19 crisis, there was chaos world over, but a strong BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government brought back its citizens from all over the globe,” he said.
The BJP’s star campaigner emphasised the next five years are crucial for making the country a big global power. The PM said when war clouds are hovering in different parts of the world, there is a need for a government which is capable of tackling any exigencies, comments coming in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, conflict in West Asia and rising Iran-Israel tension.
He said India has become self-reliant in the defence sector and is in the process of exporting weapons worth Rs 21,000 crore to other countries this year.
Modi underscored that while he was delivering a speech in Damoh, India is exporting the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles system to the Philippines.
The PM accused the opposition of weakening the country’s defence sector and said they are guided by their own vested interest even when it comes to purchase of weapons for the defence forces. He slammed the opposition Indian National Congress for creating hurdles in the procurement of French-made Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, and said had the opposition party been in power, India’s home-made Tejas planes could not have taken to the skies.
(With PTI inputs)
