PM Modi addresses a public rally for upcoming Delhi assembly election at R.K. Puram in New Delhi on February 2, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Lauding the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said only the BJP respected the middle class of the country and the Budget was focused on ensuring that “Modi’s Guarantees” were fulfilled.
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Addressing his final rally in the capital at R.K. Puram ahead of the Delhi Assembly election in support of BJP candidates on Sunday, he said, “For building Viksit Bharat, I gave a ‘guarantee’ to strengthen the country’s four pillars. These pillars are the youth, poor, farmers and women. The Budget presented yesterday [Saturday] ensures that the guarantees of Modi are fulfilled. Over the past years, we delivered free ration, free health treatment and pucca houses to the poor,” Mr. Modi said, adding that Ms. Sitharaman had presented a “Budget for the people”.
The BJP government was investing money on building roads, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, he added.
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Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party, Mr. Modi asked voters to remove the party from government and bring in an era of development, as other States had seen under BJP governments. “Will you remove AAPda?[disaster]”, he asked the crowd, and said, “AAPda of Delhi wasted 11 years, so my request is to give us a chance to serve you once. I guarantee that I will spend all my efforts to remove every problem and difficulty.”
A “double-engine government” must be formed in Delhi to channelise energy into beautifying and decorating Delhi, instead of “fighting and making excuses”. Even by mistake, the AAP government should not return to power, which would lead to five more wasted years, he warned.
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Stepping up the attack on AAP, the PM stated that “the AAP’s jhaadu [broom, the AAP’s party symbol] was being scattered everywhere”. “The AAP leaders are leaving the party as they can see the anger against the AAP on ground,” he said, speaking about the eight AAP MLAs joining the BJP days ahead of the election. The MLAs had not received a ticket from the AAP for the election.
Taking on the Congress, Mr. Modi said under the Congress governments, the middle class would lose their sleep for nights, before and after the Budget, but the BJP had presented a Budget that provided relief to the middle class. He said: “Let me paint a picture for you. Under the Nehru government, if you were earning ₹12 lakh, approximately one-fourth of your salary would have gone to the government. Under the Indira Gandhi government, you would have had to part with over ₹2 lakh in taxes. But now, under the BJP government, someone earning ₹12 lakh per annum will not have to give any money to the government. Congress governments only levied taxes to fill their own coffers. But BJP looks at relief for the people.”
He also reassured people that when the BJP came to power in Delhi, no schemes will be rolled back and no homes will be demolished, while dismissing the AAP’s allegations on the issue as lies.
Assuring people that the BJP will work towards their benefit, he listed out promises made by the party and the measures in the Budget meant to benefit them. Appealing to the youth, sportpersons and traders, Mr. Modi said that the Budget will especially be beneficial for them.
Published – February 02, 2025 02:53 pm IST