Narendra Modi in Kalaburgi: No fear of 'Opposition, Pakistan or thieves'; PM inaugurates projects worth Rs 1,000 cr

Attacking the Opposition for coming together to oust him while he looks at finishing terrorism, poverty and corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Karnataka’s Kalaburgi on Wednesday that he is not afraid because he has the blessings of 125 crore people.

“A person with the blessings of 125 crore people is not afraid of anybody, be it Hindustan, Pakistan or thieves,” he said.

Referring to India’s air strikes in Pakistan on 26 February, he said that the courage comes not from him but the 125 crore people of India.

Modi also blamed the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government in Karnataka for depriving the state’s farmers of the benefits of the Rs 75,000-crore PM-KISAN scheme, in which eligible farmers are given Rs 2,000 every three months. “The remote-controlled chief minister of Karnataka has not sent the list of eligible farmers to the Centre,” he told the gathering in Kalaburgi.

Modi said that the state government betrayed farmers and made false promises of waiving off farm loans for votes. “Additional financial assistance of Rs 14 on per quintal will be credited directly to the accounts of sugarcane farmers. Till the time Modi is here, the corrupt won’t be able to function,” he said.

Inaugurating schemes and projects worth Rs 1,000 crore, Modi said that he has fulfilled many of the promises made during the last election regarding the development of Karnataka and Kalaburgi by completing projects that have been pending for long. “Karnataka has a majboor (helpless) government but I hope you don’t want such a government at the Centre,” he said.

He also announced the creation of a separate welfare board for nomads for the first time in India.

Modi was accompanied at the rally by Umesh Jadhav , a dissident Congress MLA who quit the Rahul Gandhi-led party on Monday and joined the BJP today.