Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with media, exuded confidence that the BJP-led NDA is on course of winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and said the target was becoming a reality and not just a slogan.
Speaking in Patna, PM Modi praised women, young and first-time voters for their proactiveness in voting "decisively and positively". Voting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls began today on 96 seats in 10 states and Union Territories.
"I am not in the centre of polling, 140 crore people are there. As far as polling in the first three phases is concerned, I can clearly see that '400 paar' is becoming a reality and not just a mere slogan," PM Modi said.
He said people were committed to electing a strong government like NDA and expressed confidence that they will come out and vote in huge numbers despite the heatwave to secure the country's future.
Reacting to the Opposition's claims that the NDA won't win 400 seats, PM Modi took a dig at the Congress and cited instances of Sonia Gandhi getting elected to the Rajya Sabha and Rahul Gandhi not contesting from Amethi.
"Their biggest leader went to the Rajya Sabha. He (Rahul Gandhi) will run away from Wayanad if he contests the second seat (in Raebareli). They don't have the courage to fight in Amethi. Whatever I have said till now has come true," he said.
"They are not interested in serving the people. They are only interested in their family and don't think about the country," he added.
Reacting to Opposition's allegations that he failed as a Prime Minister in the last 10 years, PM Modi said, "The Opposition cannot stand a chaiwala's (tea seller) son as Prime Minister. They fear I will eclipse their record if I win for the third time."
Slamming the Opposition over inflation, PM Modi said the country saw its highest inflation rate during Indira Gandhi's tenure.
"During their addresses from the ramparts of Red Fort, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi compared our inflation rate with that of North Korea's," he said.
"They said the inflation was due to war between North Korea and South Korea. But, at that time, there was no globalisation and the war didn't have any impact on the economy. They were making excuses. Inflation today is under control in our regime," he added.
Listing out the development works undertaken by his government, PM Modi said there were 1.5-2.5 lakh startups today and most of them are located in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and lakhs were given employment.
"For starting one startup, an average of four to five people get employment. Almost 28 lakh crore has been disbursed to beneficiaries under Mudra Yojana. We are now planning to make three crore lakhpati didis. We have built four crore houses," he said.
"Today, there are double the highways and railway lines built compared to the past. They are spreading lies. In fact, one should ask them 'why you have been unemployed politically'. Why tell the entire world that there is unemployment," he said in a jibe at the Opposition.
"Today, the average total amount in electricity bills has come down due to (a revolution of) LED bulbs. Five lakh people have got free medical treatment. 80 crore people have got free ration," he added.
PM Modi accused the Congress governments of weakening the armed forces during their tenures.
"Look at the minds of those people in Congress. They called our (former) army chief (Gen Bipin Rawat) 'gali ka gunda' (roadside goon). The 1962 war aftermath and Nehru's incompetence still disturbs them. Their hatred and anger towards the army is visible," he said.
Slamming the Congress for opposing the 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Lalla idol at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, he said the party can stoop to any level for its vote bank.
"Congress's narrative on Ram Temple was clear since the (Supreme Court) judgment came. They wanted to send Ram Lalla back to the tent. I am amazed they can do all these things for vote bank politics," he said.
PM Modi said the BJP neither disrespected the Constitution and alleged that the Congress misused the Constitution. He rejected the Opposition's notion that the party would "change" the Constitution if the NDA won 400 seats.
"We already won more than 400 seats in 2019. The allegation of changing the Constitution is wrong. The Congress betrayed the Constitution. First, Nehru curtailed freedom of speech, then Indira ji brought Emergency. Rajiv Gandhi ji brought a bill to control media and there were protests against it," he said.
"Then, 'shehzade' (prince) called a press conference and tore the ordinance. He not only tore a piece of paper, he mocked the Constitution. They stabbed BR Ambedkar's soul. These people uttering the word Constitution itself is a sin," he said, while referring to Rahul Gandhi.
He said the BJP was committed to ensuring quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs and not on the basis of religion.
"We will never allow religion-based reservation. BR Ambedkar and the Constituent Assembly called for quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs. We are committed to that," he said.
