While not naming the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused previous governments at the Centre of disrespecting the tribal communities and the poor.

Speaking at a public meeting in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said, “Previous governments were insensitive and disrespectful towards the tribal communities and the poor. We saw how several parties reacted to a tribal woman becoming the President.” “When the Central Tribal University was opened in the Shahdol division, they (the Congress) named it after their family. However, the Shivraj (Singh Chouhan) government made a welcome departure from this tradition when it named Chhindwada University after the revolutionary, Raja Shankar Shah. We also named the Patal Pani Station after Tantia Mama (revolutionary Tantia Tope),” he added.

Emphasising the importance of schools and colleges in tribal areas, PM Modi said, “I know the importance of schools and colleges in tribal areas. That’s why our government gave tribal children the opportunity to avail residential education in more than 400 new Eklavya schools. As many as 24,000 such students are studying in such schools in Madhya Pradesh alone.”

He also started the distribution of about 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh.

“Our government is working not only to reduce the risk of diseases but also the expenditure incurred on them. We brought the Ayushman Bharat Yojana to reduce the medical expenditure of the poor. The Ayushman Card will guarantee our poor free medical checkups worth Rs 5 lakh,” PM Modi said.

He further claimed that 1 crore people in Madhya Pradesh have already received Ayushman Bharat cards.

PM Modi also paid floral tributes before a bust of Rani Durgavati at the launch of the National Sickel Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission in Shahdol.

“October 5 will mark the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati. The government will celebrate this day across the country. A film based on her life will be made and a silver coin commemorating the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati will also be launched,” PM Modi said.

He informed further that the government will also launch a postal stamp of Rani Durgavati. “We will launch a campaign to take her life story to every house in the country. Madhya Pradesh will touch new heights of development,” PM Modi said.