Launching the election campaign of the BJP from here on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indirectly raised questions on the newly announced ‘Nyay’ minimum income guarantee plan announced by the Congress. He said that those who could not get the bank accounts of the poor opened in 70 years would transfer money in their accounts.

“Those people who could not get the bank account of poor opened in past 70 years do you think will give money in their accounts,” said the PM, asking the crowd, “Will anyone believe?”

Addressing a massive rally near village Sivaya of Sardhana at Meerut-Muzaffarnagar border, the PM targeted the entire Opposition on various issues, including national security.

Overwhelmed to see a massive turnout, the PM, while starting his address, said, “Not only the media of Delhi but of the world who want to see the mandate of 2019 should see this crowd. 130 crore people of the country have already made their decision for this election,” he said, adding that there was a reason to start the election campaign from Meerut. The 2019 election is linked with the dream of people of a strong Bharat and the same dream and hope was witnessed in 1857 when the bugle of the first war of independence was blown from here.

While paying tributes to martyrs Shobhit Sharma (Sumka) and Ajay Kumar (Pulwama), the PM also recalled late PM Chaudhary Charan Singh saying that he made important contributions to the country. “He is the son of the country who forced the politics of country to pay attention to Khet, Khalihan and Kisan (Agriculture and farmers).

“When I had come here five years back I had promised that I will return your love with interest and also give a total account of my work and will also take account of others,” he said, adding, “You know that I am a Chowkidar and Chowkidar never does injustice. In the coming times I will present the work of five years of NDA and will ask that when people of the country had shown confidence on you then why you broke their confidence?

“Today on one side there is a strong basis of development and on another there is no policy, thought, nor intention. On one side is a government which takes decisions and on other the one whose decisions are pending for decades. On one side there are values of new India and on other corruption and “vanshvad” (dynasty) and on one side there is a “Damdar Chowkidar” while the other side is full of tainted,” said Modi adding that his vision is of a new Bharat that would be like its glorious past and with a new identification of security, prosperity and respect.

Whether it is land, sky or space, the courage of surgical strikes has been shown by the government of this today’s chowkidar, he stated, adding that since past 40 years the ‘sainiks’ have been demanding One Rank One Pension (OROP) but it is the government of this Chowkidar which has provided them with OROP. Twelve crore farmer families have been given Rs 75,000 crore direct financial help, 50 crore poor families of the country are being given medical facilities of upto Rs 5 lakh by our government, claimed Modi, counting upon other achievements of his tenure from Jan Dhan bank accounts to Ujjwala Yojna, power connection to 2.5 crore poor, toilets to 10 crore families, houses etc.

Taking on the previous Congress government and naming it as “Mahamilavati sarkaar”, Modi asked people to recall the old days when every now and then there were bomb blasts in the country and charged the opposition of giving shelter to the terrorists. They used to see the caste and identity of the terrorists also and on the basis of which the decision on the punishment of terrorists was decided, he said. Since the government of Yogiji has come here the women are safe, fear is there in the minds of the criminals which was not there during the rule of the previous governments, he charged, attacking the SP and BSP.

The PM said that if they are given another chance then the country would go back to where it was. He said that the people who used to give challenge to Chowkidar are now crying. “Who is more popular in Pakistan these days,” he said asking the crowd that do we need a hero in Pakistan or a hero in our country.

Pointing out at the opposition for asking evidence of airstrikes post-Pulwama, the PM said that those asking for proof should be questioned. Whether they want sabot (proof) or sapoot (son). “Those who ask for saboot challenge sapoot,” he said. Mentioning 26 February air strikes the PM said that if any untoward incident had happened then all the blame would have been on him. “I am ready to put at stake whatever I have for my country,” he averred and added that those who think about vansh and virasat have mala fide intentions.

He further cornered the opposition on the A-SAT test and mentioned the tweet of Rahul Gandhi. He accused the Congress of neglecting the requirements of the armed forces and the space programme which he said should have been conducted long time back.

He said that Opposition always wanted to keep Bharat weak. “Their politics flourishes when country is weak and they look only for the interest of self and families and do not believe in sabka saath sabka vikas,” he said.

The last election saw the game of two boys and now Bua-Babua, said Modi, adding that for the alliance nothing is greater than power and their slogan was “UP ko looto bari bari” . But in 2014 and 2017, people have shown that now they could not be divided in castes. This time the result would be more overwhelming in 2019. Giving a new name to the alliance in UP, he said S for Samajwadi Party, Ra for RLD and B for BSP make “SaRaB”, which is wine, and it is not good for health so one should try to avoid it, he said sarcastically.

Raising the issue of sugar cane farmers he said that Rs 35 crore of dues were left pending by the SP government which was cleared by CM Yogi while the remaining dues would be cleared.

Ch Charan Singh had to leave Prime Ministership because of Congress and also another farmer leader Sir Choturam had to resign because of Congress”, he claimed, adding that since childhood I was listening about removing poverty but their four generations failed to remove it. Now, the people of the country say remove Congress from the country and poverty will be removed itself.

Promising further development to the people of Meerut, the PM said that under Udaan Yojna a passport center is established in Meerut and also an airport is coming up. Now Meerut will be on the air map and connectivity of air, rail and road has improved with the construction of highways. Work of Delhi-Meerut Expressway is almost complete after which the distance would be covered in just an hour. Also, work on a highway from Meerut to Prayagraj is underway, he said.

Also present were UP CM Yogi Adityanath, UP BJP President Mahendra Nath Pandey, former president Laxmikant Vajpayee and party candidates from Meerut -Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor and Baghpat.