Blowing the poll bugle in Himachal Pradesh, PM Narendra Modi struck an emotional chord with the people by offering greetings in the ‘Pahari’ dialect and accusing previous Congress regimes of laying hordes of foundation stones.

Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating AIIMS, Bilaspur, Modi told the people that while BJP national president J P Nadda, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur credited him for development in HP, it is the people of the state who deserved the credit for voting to power a double-engine government.

Highlighting the changed style of functioning of the government, he said now foundation stones are laid with a clear timeline of the projects. “Congress mode of progress was only laying inauguration stones, whereas our government definitely dedicates the projects for which we lay the foundation stones. It is the BJP that has executed Atal Rohtang Tunnel, AIIMS Bilaspur, Government Hydro Engineering College, Bandla.”

Reminiscing the old times when he and his associates used to work and live in the area, PM said that he was fortunate to have been a part of HP’s development journey.

He added that for a long time the ideology was that facilities like education, roads, industries, and hospitals are meant for big cities only. “People of HP were forced to go to Chandigarh or Delhi for small issues. However, in the last 8 years, the double-engine government changed all that.”

PM Modi said that today HP is equipped with central institutions like IIT, IIIT and IIM. He added that AIIMS, Bilaspur being the apex of medical education in India, will add to the glory of Bilaspur.

Talking about the contribution of HP in nation-building, he said that the state plays a crucial role in ‘Rashtra Raksha’ (country’s defence), and now with the newly inaugurated AIIMS at Bilaspur, it will also play a pivotal role in ‘Jeevan Raksha’ (saving lives).

The Prime Minister observed that it is a moment of pride for the people of the state as it is one of the three states that have been selected for the Bulk Drugs Park. Himachal Pradesh is also one of the four states that have been selected for Medical Devices Park and the Nalagarh Medical Device Park is part of this. “This is the land of the brave and I am indebted to this land”, PM Modi said.