Modi: Amethi MP liar, ignored ordnance unit

Shahira Naim & Jitendra K Shrivastava

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Tribune News Service

Lucknow/Patna, March 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Congress of “compromising” with the security of the country and the life of jawans by denying the armed forces modern rifles, bulletproof jackets and howitzer guns and even creating hurdles in acquiring the Rafale fighter jets. 

He announced the launch of production of the modern assault rifle in the Kalashnikov series AK 203 in Amethi’s ordnance factory at Korwa. This rifle is the latest derivative of the legendary AK-47 assault rifle. 

Speaking at a public rally at Korwa Gauriganj, PM Modi declared: “Amethi will get a new identity as the armed forces will soon be using ‘Made in Amethi’ rifles.”

Pointing out that the armed forces had placed a demand for modern weaponry in 2005, which was being actualised only now, he charged Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is the Amethi MP, with doing nothing in the matter. “This is grave injustice to the jawans and the armed forces,” he said.

Calling the Amethi MP a liar, the PM accused him of failing to keep his promise to the people to start production at the Amethi ordnance factory by 2010, providing 1,500 jobs. “The previous government neglected the security of the country and jawans. In 2009, the armed forces demanded 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets for which my government finally placed an order for 2.2 lakh. “Who were these people who made the armed forces wait for rifles and bulletproof jackets?” As a section of audience raised “Rahul Gandhi chor hai” slogans, the PM paused for a while, choosing to resume his speech with “Bharat Mata ki jai”.

The PM charged the previous Congress government with continuing efforts to stall the Rafale aircraft deal for “personal” interests. 

“From the Supreme Court to the CAG, every institution is saying the Government of India has taken the right decision at the right time and struck the right deal in the interest of the country. But these people are spreading lies. The desperation of not getting a commission in this defence deal is but obvious.”

He accused Rahul Gandhi of letting down the people of Amethi by not completing any of the promised development projects, such as the steel factory, food park and Gauriganj cycle factory. Indicating the candidature of Union Minister Smriti Irani from Amethi, the PM claimed she had worked harder than the sitting MP for the development of Amethi.

Earlier, addressing a rally in Patna, he reiterated the charge that the Opposition was demoralising the forces by seeking proof of the airstrikes in Pakistan. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the NDA would win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

At the rally, JD-U activists far outnumbered those of the BJP. The gathering was thinner than anticipated.

PM: They oppose me, i say oppose terror 

"The Opposition wants to come together to finish Modi, but we say come together to finish terror, crime and corruption."— Narendra Modi, Prime Minister