New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (February 27, 2022) addressed an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Basti and took a jibe at the Opposition parties. In an apparent attack on Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, PM Modi said that there's a difference between 'rashtra bhakti' (devotion to nation) and 'pariwar bhakti' (devotion to family).
He also stated that the previous governments led by dynasts kept India dependent on foreign countries for its defence needs, but now the priority is "atmanirbhar".
"It is time to rise above barriers of caste and religion and strengthen the country by making it atmanirbhar," he said.
Tremendous enthusiasm across Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a massive rally in Basti. https://t.co/6waFgoDcyg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 27, 2022
"We don't have oil refineries, we import crude oil... They (Opposition) never paid attention to it... Now, with the help of sugarcane, ethanol can be made. Our government is establishing a network of Ethanol plant," PM Modi said.
"For decades these 'Parivarwadis' let our armies dependent on other countries, destroyed India's Defence (sector)...But today, we have a Defence corridor being set up in Uttar Pradesh," he added.
घोर परिवारवादियों ने दशकों तक हमारी सेना को पूरी तरह विदेशों पर निर्भर रखा।
भारत के रक्षा उद्योग को बर्बाद कर दिया।
लेकिन अब उत्तर प्रदेश में ही बहुत बड़ा डिफेंस कॉरिडोर बन रहा है।
- पीएम @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/NMBRP4GTKk
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 27, 2022
PM Modi also attacked the rival parties over asking for proof for the Balakot airstrike and said, "The country celebrated three years of the Balakot airstrike on February 26, but dynasts had sought proof of it then."
The Prime Minister also stated that the government is working tirelessly to bring back all Indians stuck in Ukraine.
India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian airspace being closed for civil aircraft operations, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Romanian capital Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest.
He is now scheduled to address election rallies in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarthnagar and Ambedkarnagar later in the day. These areas will vote in the sixth phase on March 3.
(With agency inputs)
