Drown in shame, Modi to Oppn

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, October 16

Attacking the Opposition for accusing him of diverting people’s attention from Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they should drown themselves in shame.

“The shameless opposition (leaders) are asking what is the connection between Article 370 and Maharashtra... We are proud of Maharashtra’s children who sacrificed everything for Jammu and Kashmir. But for political gains some people are asking what has Maharashtra got to do with Jammu and Kashmir? Doob maro! Doob maro! (drown yourself),” Modi said at an election rally in Akola district.

He went on to say that the people of Maharashtra are happy that Article 370 has been removed. “They are suffering because the Article

370 they nurtured has been finished off and thrown at the feet of the people,” Modi said.

The PM went on to praise Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and said the Opposition leaders insulted him by denying the Bharat Ratna.

Addressing another rally at Panvel in Maharashtra, Modi called on people to give another term to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “When Narendra and Devendra stand together then 1+1 becomes 11 and not 2,” Modi said. Speaking of development in the township bordering Mumbai and Pune, Modi said two lakh houses were being built for slumdwellers. “Every person, including those from the poor and the middle-class, can dream of their own home,” Modi said.

He spoke of the scheme under which affordable houses are given subsidies by the government under the PM Awas Yojana. “We are giving subsidies on the interest of home loans for people with who earn less than 18 lakh annually,” Modi said.

Addressing the fishing community in this township, Modi said the government has made it easier for fishermen to obtain bank loans for buying newer boats. He however requested fish sellers to stop using single-use plastic. “We need your support to stop the usage of single-use plastic which damages the marine eco-system,” Modi said.