Delhi Live: Trust me, trust BJP, I want to serve, says Modi

1.35 pm: I am the eternal sevak, says Modi Modi plays the humble ‘sevak’, says his dream is not to lead but to serve. He makes a mention of his humble background – vending tea on trains – to a fresh wave of cheers. Trust me, he pleads. “The BJP and Narendra Modi will never betray your trust,. We will live for your dreams, we will work for your dreams, and if the need arises we will give ourselves up for your dreams.” The government should put the “country first” and the Constitution of India before all else, he adds. “The strength of the government should be the 125 crore people, and the government’s main obbject of worship should be the progress of those people.” He winds up with his now trademark Vande Mataram chants, people joining in lustily, “loudly enough for Manmohan Singh to hear in the US”. 1.30 pm: Bring in the Dream Team Modi has been speaking for an hour now, but nobody has batted an eyelid. The country’s Amrut Mahotsav or diamond jubilee will come up soon, says Modi, asking the crowds what kind of government and country they would want to see then. “India has been suffering the UPA for 10 years. The country now needs a Dream Team, not a Dirty Team. Kick out the dirty team, bring in the dream team to put India on the road to progress. " 1.25 pm: “India must protest Pakistan’s actions strongly, democracy must trump dynasty” Will you register a strongly worded protest with the Pakistan prime minister when you speak to him later today, Modi asks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The nation has its doubts about you.” Modi refers to the attacks on the LoC, the beheading of an Indian soldier at the LoC and the sorrow of the widows of such soldiers, and makes an impassioned plea: “There is a war underway between democracy and dynastic rule. The whims of the princeling must not decide the country’s fate. The Constitution of India must trump.” 1.17 pm: Deeply hurt by “dehati aurat” comment by Nawaz Sharif about Manmohan Singh, says Modi Taking a potshot Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reaching out to US President Barack Obama, Modi accused Singh of portraying India as a poor country despite a cultural tradition dating back thousands of years and despite the world’s largest workforce. He also took a well-timed potshot at Rahul Gandhi: “Is this poverty only a state of mind?” About Dr Singh’s meeting later today with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he referred to the latter’s disparaging comments about Singh during an off-the-record briefing to Pakistani and Indian journalists.  “I am deeply hurt by this,” he said, telling the lakhs present at the venue that this would hurt them too. “Nawaz Sharif told journalists that Manmohan Singh is like a dehati aurat,” he said.  What stature does the Pakistani prime minister have to make such a comment, asks Modi, adding that it is a sign of the weakness of the UPA government. “Where did Nawaz Sharif get the guts to make such a comment about a senior leader? It’s because the PM’s own party has insulted him. His own party leaders call the PM nonsense. The Congress has taken off the prime minister’s turban.” 1.13 pm: “Power shortage is the doing of the UPA government” On the critical power deficit facing the nation, Modi says it’s a travesty that parts of the country have no power even today. “This at a tim e when there are electricity generation facilities lying defunct, despite a capacity to produce thousands of megawatts of power.” These “Bijlee ke kaarkhane” are lying jobless because the Delhi government has no direction, he says. “Unless there are payoffs, there is no policy, no vision, no will and no coal.” Similarly, while China has built 11,000 km of railways – not to mention roads and highways – the UPA government has added only 3,000 km of  railways, he says. 1.10 pm: Modi addresses the youth, promises jobs Naujavan, another pet theme for Modi, makes its first appearance in his speech today. Employment guarantee for the young, a life of self-reliance and pride for the young – these are essential, says Modi. Six crore youngsters received jobs when the NDA government was in power. The future of the youth depends on dislodging the UPA and Congress government, he exhorts the crowds. 12.58 pm: Congress leaders indulge in “Gandhi Bhakti”, says Modi Modi returns to his pet theme of “surajya” – good governance, something he has spoken about repeatedly over the past years. NDA had given the country that experience, he says, and that will be the promise of the BJP as we go forward. The Congress leaders are too busy with ‘Gandhi Bhakti’, he says. “By Gandhi bhakti I mean worship of the ‘‘Gandhi notes” – they are ammassing wealth to the extent that they will have to start counting their wealth in tonnes, not in numbers.” 12.50 pm: “India lost an opportunity to show its soft power” Modi links the Commonwealth Games scam to the loss of soft power. From South Korea to China, countries use their prowess in fields such as sport to improve their branding and, in the global community, to wield a soft power. India lost that opportunity with the CWG scam, he says. Meanwhile, to crowds interrupting his speech with their cheering, he says, “The media has taken note of your enthusiasm. Don’t overdo it.” He continues, but not before some chanting of Bharat  Mata Ki Jai. 12.45 pm: Delhi government has no accountability, says Modi Modi says numbers are needed to form a government, but unless there’s chemistry, such a government is ineffective and unable to do good for the people. The UPA’s coalition government is one such government, he says, unlike the NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee. Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit is his next target. Minus the control of a series of departments, she is reduced to a ribbon-cutting chief minister, he says. “And when an incident like the Delhi December 16 gangrape occurs, all she can do is advise women to return home early.” 12.35 pm: Modi begins speech: “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” After the formalities, Modi goes for the jugular: “Across the world, governments are the people’s strength. It’s only in Delhi that people are burdened by the deadweight of governments.” He adds that a mother and son duo appear to have their own individual governments, not to mention the independent fiefdoms of the UPA’s constituent parties. Earlier, he said, Delhi has never seen such a large political rally by any party. He congratulated “every BJP worker” and the people of Delhi for participating in a historic event. 12.30 pm: Nitin Gadkari: We are against terror, not against minorities Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari hits out at alleged fear mongering by the Congress regarding the Gujarat chief minister’s outlook towards minorities. “We are against terrorism, not against minorities,” he says. “Under a BJP government, there will be no discrimination on the basis of caste or community – everybody will get equal opportunities for development.” He also says the “helpless” PM, insulted by his own party’s vice-president who called the ordinance on convicted politicians “nonsense”, should resign. 12.20 pm: Delhi BJP chief speaks, crowds chanting Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel promises better power, water and sewer connections for Delhi’s residents. Promises to change in 15 months what the Congress government could not do in 15 years, from infrastructure to safety of women. He then gets the crowd to chant the party’s catchline for the day, “Badlenge Dilli, Badlenge Bharat”. 12.10 pm: “Dulha bhi hai, baraat bhi” Navjot Singh Sidhu has the lakhs-strong crowd eating out of his hands with his couplets and Sidhuisms. How long will the government last, he asks; “dulha bhi hai, baraat bhi” he says, before launching into rich praise of the state of Gujarat. 12 noon: Modi arrives Minutes to noon, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the venue. As the crowds erupt in cheers and applause, loudspeakers scream Rahman’s “Ma Tujhe Salaam”. He is accompanied by former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. And then the speech against the Congress and corruption continues. 11.50 am: Sidhu arrives, crowds cheer Former cricketer and BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu arrives at Japanese Park, Rohini, the venue for Narendra Modi’s first rally in New Delhi.  Sidhu waves to cheering crowds who are on their feet now. It’s BJP legislator and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V K Malhotra addressing the rally now; and he’s also talking about corruption and the Congress government. 11.40 am: Modi to arrive soon, organisers tell crowds Announcers say Narendra Modi will arrive at the venue in 15 to 20 minutes. Dr Harsh Vardhan winds up his speech, having railed against the UPA government and corruption. Dr Anil Jain is the next speaker – the theme remains constant, the Congress party’s “betrayal” of the government. Dr Jain also calls the events around ordinance a “nautanki”. The Delhi BJP has clearly pulled out all stops for a city that the Gujarat Chief Minister wants to call home soon – the rally ground is decked with posters, the orange and green lotus cutouts are sleek and professionally designed, at least one huge LED screen is at the venue, many more across various locations in the city. 11.10 am: As crowds get restive, Vijay Jolly takes the stage There are several foreigners in the VIP section of the audience – the BJP claims there are 35 foreign diplomats attending. As the crowds begin to get restless, senior BJP leader from Delhi Vijay Jolly begins his address. Former mayor Aarti Mehra has spoken. 10.40 am: Narendra Modi reaches New Delhi Delhi’s BJP chief Vijay Goel has arrived at the Rohini venue of Sunday’s Narendra Modi rally. Crowds continue streaming in, walking past a huge 100-feet hoarding of Gujarat’s chief minister. Modi himself has reached Delhi, his Twitter handle announced. 9.45 am: Crowds stream in expectantly for Modi rally Lakhs of Bharatiya Janata Party supporters and others are gathering at a New Delhi ground for the first rally in the capital by the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Coming soon after the hugely successful rally in Bhopal, the Gujarat Chief Minister’s rally for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls has been cleverly titled by the BJP as ‘Badlenge Delhi, Badlenge Bharat’. [caption id=“attachment_114033” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Delhi’s Assembly poll is seen as a dry run for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls[/caption] The Delhi poll, often called the best indicator of which party will win the Parliamentary elections, is being fought by the BJP on an anti-incumbency platform but without a chief ministerial candidate. The Delhi unit of the BJP put up a united front on the eve of the rally on Saturday at a press meet attended by Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V K Malhotra, former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta, former Mayor Arti Mehra and  senior BJP leader Vijay Jolly. Goel alleged that the Sheila Dikshit government had ordered the removal of the BJP’s banners and hoardings in a bid to dilute the impact of the Modi rally. Police and PWD officers were involved in removing banners, Goel alleged. The BJP has deployed over 1,000 volunteers to manage the arrangements at the venue, Japanese Park in Rohini. As many as 25,000 Muslims are also expected to attend the rally at Japanese Park, Rohini, said party workers.