Congress promised loan waivers to farmers, gave lollipops: PM Modi in Ghazipur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during the foundation stone laying ceremony for a medical college, in Ghazipur, Saturday. (PTI)

“Be wary of the Congress and its lies,” he said at a public meeting in Ghazipur after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on legendary king Suheldev.

Modi made the remarks during a visit to the Purvanchal region, his second trip to Uttar Pradesh this month. He also visited Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, to launch the South Asia Regional Centre of the International Rice Research Institute. UP CM Yogi Adityanth was also present at the event.

“Several important steps have been taken to transform Purvanchal into a big medical hub and to strengthen the small industries of UP,” he said. Rajbhar, which is an OBC community, constitutes a significant population in Purvanchal and during 2017 Assembly elections, BJP had roped in SBSP to woo the community. SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar is a cabinet minister in the state government.

The PM also launched a comprehensive pension management software SAMPANN to facilitate pensioners of the telecom department. SAMPANN, an acronym for System for Accounting and Management of Pension, will help in timely disbursement of pensions, he said at a public meeting in Varanasi. He said the Union government was using technology to improve ease of living and facilitate better access to citizen-centric services.

Modi also attended the ‘One District, One Product’ regional summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul in Varanasi. Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “Since ages, the city of Kashi has been established in the world market. Resham ki saree ho ya hath ka khilona, meri Kashi sabse aage (whether it is a silk saree or a handmade toy, my Kashi has always been ahead).”

Both the areas (Ghazipur and Varanasi) are NDA stronghold. The PM described himself as a ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) of the people, a term ridiculed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and more recently by BJP’s cantankerous ally Shiv Sena.

“This chowkidar of yours is toiling very hard day and night, and with honesty, to brighten your future and that of your children. Because of this chowkidar, some thieves are having sleepless nights. It is your faith and blessings on me that will take the thieves to their rightful place one day,” he said.

PM remembering farmers after defeat in 5 states: Congress

The Congress party on Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing it of unfulfilled farm loan waiver promises and misleading farmers, saying that the PM is remembering farmers now after losing elections in five states.

At a press conference in Delhi today, Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said that neither will his party sleep nor let the prime minister sleep until farmers’ loans are waived and all facilities provided to them.

The Congress reaction came in response to Modi’s allegation, during his day-long visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal region, that the Congress was misleading farmers on loan waiver promises.