Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that Pakistan is posting tweets to cheer up the Congress party after its “dismal” performance in the first three rounds of polling, and the party in turn is giving clean chit to the perpetrators of the ghastly 26/11 attack on innocent citizens and security personnel in Mumbai.

Addressing a BJP election rally in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, the prime minister asks who does not know the 26/11 attack was the work of Pakistan. “Who killed our jawans, who killed our innocent, everybody knows it; the courts have given verdict, Pakistan too accepts the reality; even phone recording of terrorists is available, but the Congress is issuing not guilty certificates to terrorists,” he said.

On the 26/11 Mumbai attack, the statement of a Congress leader in Maharashtra is highly dangerous, Mr Modi said. The Congress leaders are siding with Kasab, the worst of the 26/11 terrorists, he said.

Modi said the minister of state for external affairs during the Congress rule, who is close to the Congress “family”, has also declared Kasab not guilty.

The prime minister called it an insult to the innocent killed in the attack. It is also an insult to all the security men who eliminated the terrorists; an insult also of martyrs like police official Tukaram Omble. Which direction does the Congress want to take the country, Mr Modi asked.

How low Congress will stoop to for its policy of appeasement, he asked. “Should this party and the INDI-Aghadi get even a single seat in Maharashtra,” the Prime Minister asked people.

He said 4th June, the day of the election result, will be the INDI-Aghadi’s expiry date, definitely. After that day, there will be no one around to hold their flags.

The prime minister said the 2024 poll is between the policy of appeasement and the policy of making everyone happy and satisfied. While the BJP is trying to satisfy everyone, the Congress is busy conspiring and following the appeasement policy. He said he had said that the Congress manifesto has a Muslim League imprint.

He said he had also warned the nation that Congress and the INDIA bloc are planning a dangerous game. Without naming RJD leader Lalu Prasad, he said, “A senior INDI leader in Bihar, who was convicted for the fodder scam and just came out of jail, had disclosed the plan to the media today that if the INDI alliance government comes to power, it will give reservations to Muslims.”

“Not just reservations, but the entire reservation benefit,” the prime minister said. At present, this reservation applies to SCs, STs, OBCs, and ordinary poor only. Now, the INDI alliance says the whole of reservations will be snatched from the SCs, STs, and OBCs and given to the Muslims to strengthen their vote bank, the prime minister contended.

They want to do something that was prohibited by architect of the Constitution Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constituent Assembly. The Constitution bars reservation on the basis of religion and the INDI alliance wants to change the Constitution to make its vote bank happy, the prime minister charged.

The poor, SCs, STs, and OBCs have all rejected the INDI alliance, he said. “Now, these people will go to any limit to teach them a lesson. Will you let this happen,” he asked the crowds, and they replied “No.”

He said the Congress-INDI Aghadi cannot talk about many issues. The NDA has taken up the issues of development, the welfare of the poor, national security, national pride, and respect. Is the Congress fit to talk about any of these issues, he said.

On the welfare of the poor, the Congress will have to bury its face in the sand like an ostrich; it has nothing to say on this issue, he alleged.

For 50 years, it made false promises of garibi hatao (removal of poverty), he said. Modi, on the other hand, can talk about having built four crore pucca houses for the poor, opening of 50 crore bank accounts for the poor, free ration to 80 crore people, distributing PM Kisan Samman Nidhi of Rs 3 lakh crore, and a record increase in MSP for farmers, besides Rs 1.50 lakh crore compensation as crop insurance money, he said.

In the last 10 years, he said, Modi ensured guarantee of security and development. The NDA Government resolved all problems left behind by the Congress government. In Maharashtra, the Congress pushed farmers towards drought, the Congress was busy with loot.

The NDA Government completed long pending dam projects to help farmers. The delay because of the Congress increased the cost several times. The Congress leaders made money from the dam construction, but the farmers waited for water. Now, Ahilyanagar and Nashik will be getting water for irrigation, he said.

Farmers’ welfare is NDA’s top priority, he asserted. Sugarcane farmers got their dues and even income tax relief. In Maharashtra, Rs 30,000 crore has been distributed under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Viksit Bharat needs Nari Shakti and women’s Self Help Groups are encouraged. The target now is to make three crore women Lakhpati Didis. They will become drone didis also, he said.