Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took a swipe at the opposition parties, especially the Congress, asking people to beware of such ‘family- centric’ parties that give ‘fake guarantees’.

Addressing a grand function to launch the ‘National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission 2047’ from Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh, the PM distributed sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries.

The PM also kickstarted the distribution of about 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh. During the programme, he honoured Rani Durgavati, the ruling tribal queen of Gondwana in the mid-16th century.

He accused the Congress of giving fake guarantees and advised the people to ‘wake up’ to the deceit of the Congress and other opposition parties. “These parties have guaranteed various schemes, whereas these parties themselves have no guarantee of their own future,” Mr. Modi averred.

Taking a sharp jibe at the opposition, PM Modi said, “The meaning of some political parties is ‘niyat mein khot aur gareeb par chot’ (evil intentions to hurt the poor).”

The PM asserted that in the past 70 years, the previous governments could barely put food on the table for the poor, but the present government is turning the tables by providing a guarantee of free food grains to 80 crore families through the Garib Kalyan Yojana. He also touched upon providing health security to 50 crore beneficiaries through the Ayushman Yojana, free gas connections to 10 crore women beneficiaries of the Ujjwala Yojana, and loans to 8.5 crore beneficiaries through the Mudra Yojana.

The PM said that the Ayushman Card is a guarantee of Rs 5 lakh for treatment in hospitals.

“It is the guarantee of Modi,” he added.

The PM announced that Rani Durgavati’s 500th birth anniversary would be celebrated across India and stamps would be released.

He distributed Sickle Cell colour-coded counselling cards to a few beneficiaries. He handed over Ayushman cards and PVC Ayushman Bharat cards physically to some beneficiaries.

The National Sickle Cell Anemia Eradication Mission (NSCAEM), which aims to address the pressing health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among the tribal population, was announced in the Union Budget 2023.

“The government aims to eradicate sickle cell anemia from India in mission mode by 2047,” Mr. Modi said, adding that half of the total number of people affected by this disease in the world are in India.