Modi fires first salvo

NEIGHBOURS TAUNT US BECAUSE OF WEAK GOVT

• His first speech as BJP’s PM face assails UPA on national security
• Politicians have to learn secularism from our Army
• Nothing wrong on our border, the problem is in Delhi
• Warns Pakistan, asks it to fight against poverty

VENKAT PARSA

New Delhi: BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi made his first pitch for Delhi after his recent anointment, by targeting the Congress- led UPA Government for its handling of national security, like incursions by China and the killing of Indian jawans on the border by Pakistan. Modi repeatedly targeted the government on national security, as the crowds largely comprised ex-servicemen. Targeting the Congress at the rally for what he called votebank politics, Modi said it had eaten into the very foundations of this country. “If politicians have to learn secularism, look at the Army.

There is no greater example of secularism,” he said. Training his guns at the Congressled UPA Government, Modi said the government tried to divide the Army through the Sachar Committee, by ordering the headcount of Hindus and Muslims in the Army. “They have committed the sin of trying to communally colour the Indian Army. I salute the officers who stood against it and refused the census within the Armed Forces on communal lines. I appeal to my soldiers – do not forgive these people, who tried to divide you,” declared Modi. While the Congress-led government did not bother to supply even water to the Army jawans on the border, Modi said, “I have laid 700 km of pipeline to get drinking water to the last border outpost when I saw camels were deployed to fetch water.”

Most of the budget of the Army goes towards importing cheap munitions, he said, recreating the spectre of Bofors, when the Congress Government was accused of importing rusted guns, risking the lives of the Army jawans on the border. “If you have no tears to shed, don’t shed. If your heart is like a stone, so be it. But, for God’s sake, don’t insult my Army jawans,” declared Modi. In his hour-long speech at Rewari, on the outskirts of the capital, where former Army Chief Gen V K Singh shared dais with him, Modi said, “There is no let-up in Pakistani antics.

China is going in for eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, threatening to stop the flow of Brahmaputra. Are our neighbours troubling us because our Army is weak? No. The problem is not at our borders, it is in Delhi. Till we have a capable government in Delhi, which is nationalistic and committed to protecting every citizen, we cannot guarantee security.” Grudgingly Modi conceded that in the times when people have turned cynical, tired of hearing bad news constantly, day in and day out, there was good news on Sunday morning, which was truly heartening. Modi’s reference was to India successfully test-firing the nuclear-capable long-range Agni-V missile, which has 5,000 km range.

Unwilling to concede the credit to the Congress-led UPA Government, Modi chose to compliment the scientific community for making it possible. Soon after the successful rally, where the surging crowds roared its approval, Modi met BJP president Rajnath Singh. Later, he called on former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi, who is the BJP Manifesto Committee Chairman and a fence-sitter during the internal power-struggle, when his nomination as BJP prime ministerial candidate was stoutly resisted by party veteran L K Advani. Totally silent on NDA Working Chairman L K Advani, Modi preferred invoking former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He recalled Vajpayee addressing rallies in Rewari and in Haryana. Modi, who was known for his references to Pakistan as Mian Musharraf, tried playing Vajpayee, saying, “To Pakistan, I say you may have been born out of anti-India politics, but that cannot contribute to your progress. To Pakistan rulers, I say the focus should be on fighting against poverty. Weapons and warfare have done Pakistan no good in 60 years. Try not allowing terrorists to use your territory for 10 years and you will see your progress will be manifold cross-border terrorism can't benefit India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.”