The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

Modi: Cong wanted to allocate 15% of Budget for minorities, BJP didn’t allow

Says ‘nakli’ Sena and ‘nakli’ NCP will merge with Cong after polls

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi Wednesday said the Congress wanted to allocate 15% of Union Budget for minorities and gave up after meeting with stiff opposition from BJP between 2004 and 2014.

At Pimpalgaon Baswant in North Maharashtr­a’s Nashik district, the PM said, “They want to dedicate 15% of the budget for minorities. They want reservatio­n for minorities. As the CM (of Gujarat), I staunchly opposed it. The BJP did not allow it to happen. Even Dr BR Ambedkar was opposed to

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtr­a Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Kalyan, Wednesday. Deepak Joshi

reservatio­n based on religion.”

Adding that the Congress will peform so badly in the Lok Sabha elections that it will not even be able to stake claim to Opposition’s role, Modi said the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and NCP-SP led by Sharad Pawar would definitely merge with the Congress after the elections.

“Thecongres­scannotloo­kbeyond

minorities as it is their vote bank. They are seeking reservatio­n based on religion for minorities. The party is going to badly lose the elections,” he said.

Making an oblique reference to Sharad Pawar, Modi said, “A leader from Maharashtr­a has suggested that all the smaller parties in the Opposition should merge into Congress. They should pull down their shutters so that they can come together and become an Opposition. ‘Nakli (fake)’ Shiv Sena and ‘nakli’ NCP'S merger with the Congress is pucca (definite).”

Directing his attack towards Uddhav, Modi said, “It was Bal Thackeray’s dream to see the constructi­on of Ram Temple and abrogation of Article 370. Although these dreams have come true, Uddhav Thackeray has joined hands with those parties (Congress), which are questionin­g both these issues. Shockingly, Uddhav Thackeray is silent.”

The rally at Pimpalgaon was significan­t as the Centre’s decision to apply 40% duty and ban export of onions led to massive unrest in north Maharashtr­a. Following unrest, the export ban on onion was lifted earlier this month.

As Modi spoke about minorities in the rally, farmers from the audience raised their voices and asked the PM to speak about onions. “We have lifted the ban on onion export to help farmers. It is our government which created the buffer stock. There was seven lakh metric tonne procuremen­t of onions from farmers,” said Modi.

“In the last 10 years of our government, the export of onions and grapes saw a 35% increase, thereby benefittin­g farmers,” said Modi.

In Kalyan, Modi said, “We havealread­yprepareda­blueprint on what we should do in the first 100 days after the polls. Considerin­g the role of the youths whohaveasi­gnificantr­oletoplay, I would like to request them to come forward and give suggestion­s. We will incorporat­e them after scrutiny. Instead of 100 days, we will make it 125 days.”

Adding that from the time of Pandit Nehru, Congress has always talked about garibi (poverty), he said, “But nothing was done. Their politics thrived on Hindu-muslim agenda.”