Seeking to turn the heat on the Congress over its poll promise of reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the assurance 'toys with national security' and termed the opposition party's manifesto a 'document of Pakistan's conspiracies'.
Addressing a rally in Gondia ahead of next week's polling, he accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country and 'demoralise' its soldiers.
Modi termed the coming together of opposition parties against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies 'maha milavat' (grand adulteration) and said it would boost Naxal activities if they came to power as he blasted the Congress over its promise to scrap the sedition law.
The prime minister also asked Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, a former defence minister, if he agreed with the Congress's manifesto, particularly on the issue of reviewing the AFSPA, which gives sweeping powers to security forces in troubled areas.
Without naming anyone, Modi alleged that Nationalist Congress Party leaders 'were unable to sleep' as their 'sleep was jailed in Delhi's Tihar'.
He, however, did not elaborate.
"You can see the Congress hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the country. They have a habit, either they grab everything or create confusion," Modi told the rally.
"Their manifesto toys with national security. The Congress's manifesto is a document of Pakistan's conspiracies. It is a conspiracy to demoralise the soldiers.
"The Congress's manifesto is a document of conspiracy by those who gave the slogan of 'Bharat tere tukde honge' (calling for India's dismemberment)," he added.
Modi said the security forces were 'relentlessly' combating Naxalism and the days of Maoists, who had spread violence in Maharashtra, were 'numbered'.
Naxalism would get a boost if those engaged in 'maha milavat' came back to power, he warned.
The prime minister also said the Maharashtra government had acted against 'Urban Naxals'.
"But you have seen how the Congress and the NCP are standing with Naxals," he charged.
Referring to the Congress's poll assurance of repealing the sedition law, Modi said the opposition party had promised that 'there will be no sedition case if any urban Naxalite is caught in anti-national activities'.
"Tell me if the Congress and the NCP are doing the right thing. Should the sedition law go? Should those who want to disintegrate (the country) get a free licence?," he asked the crowd.
Attacking the NCP, Modi said its leaders were 'unable to sleep these days'.
"What's the reason? Because their sleep is there inside Delhi's Tihar Jail. They are afraid that the one who is inside may reveal something. They are worried. And that day is not far when everything will come out in the open," he said.
Though the prime minister did not name anyone, it is believed that he was referring to corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar's arrest earlier this year for his alleged involvement in several aviation deals.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi released his party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday.
It promised to review the deployment of armed forces, AFSPA and the Disturbed Areas Act in Jammu and Kashmir and move more troops to the border to stop infiltration completely.
The party also promised to scrap the sedition law if voted to power and said it would initiate a comprehensive review of all laws, rules and regulations and bring them in accordance with constitutional values and democracy.
Bhandara-Gondia is among the seven Lok Sabha seats in Vidarbha that will vote in the first phase on April 11. The BJP has fielded Sunil Mendhe from the seat, where his main rival is the NCP's Nana Panchbuddhe.
This was Modi's second poll rally in Maharashtra ahead of this month's Lok Sabha polls. The first public meeting was at Wardha on April 1.
Earlier in the day, addressing a rally at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, Modi termed Congress manifesto as a 'hypocrisy document' which was 'full of lies'.
The PM said the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be about the choice between 'trust and corruption, and about resolution and conspiracy'.
Referring to the Congress manifesto for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Modi said it had promised that every house would have electricity by 2009.
"However, till 2014 around 18,000 villages in the country were still to be electrified... Just like them (the Congress), their manifesto is corrupt and full of lies.
"Therefore, it should be called hypocrisy document (dhakosla patra), not a manifesto," Modi said at the rally in Pasighat, around 220 km from state capital Itanagar.
During his address, Modi said with the National Democratic Alliance coming back to power in 2014, it fulfilled the promise of the Congress by illuminating the 18,000 villages within 1,000 days.
The prime minister said unlike the Congress, the BJP never made false promises and kept its commitment of providing free LPG connection to nearly 60 crore women in the country, besides constructing toilets in every village and extending healthcare facilities under the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme.
"Under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, about three lakh people in Arunachal Pradesh were covered, who were provided free treatment to the tune of Rs 5 lakh per family," he said.
Every house in the state has been illuminated with electricity after 70 years of Independence, Modi claimed.
Modi said he does not claim to have completed all the developmental work since becoming prime minister, but, "I can say that I am a man who can withstand any challenge the country faces, and plan and execute all works with dedication and commitment".
Accusing the Congress of neglecting the north east region, especially Arunachal Pradesh, he said the state never found its place in the "dil" (heart) of the grand old party.
The prime minister charged that the Congress was fooling farmers in the name of votes, whereas the BJP government has always been with them.
"We never committed the sin of betraying farmers but we introduced the mechanism from seed to market," the PM said.
Elaborating on the development plans of Arunachal Pradesh, he said the BJP government's vision for the state is connectivity, resources and respect.
The prime minister said the state is on the growth path now with many mega projects like the Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) at Pasighat and Tezu, train connectivity between Naharlagun and Guwahati, and Naharlagun and New Delhi.
Asserting that he is committed to safeguard the tribal tradition and culture, Modi said he had visited the region "more than 30 times" in comparison to his predecessors, because of the love and affection he shares with the people of the north east.
Elections to Arunachal Pradesh's 57 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies will be held simultaneously on April 11.
Three BJP candidates were elected unopposed to the 60-member House, after the final date of withdrawal of candidature on March 28.
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