Modi takes land battle to Punjab
24 March 2015 11:48 PM GMT
Speaking at a function in Punjab, he said the farmers can avail of its benefit and may get Rs 5,000 as pension every month. This announcement was accompanied by invocation of the welfare of farmers’ children to justify the introduction and passage of the new legislation that is facing stiff resistance from almost all Opposition parties. He said it is necessary to bring about development which will benefit the farmers and their families as well.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister led the nation in paying homage to the great martyrs — Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukh Dev — at their memorials in Hussainiwala in Punjab’s frontier district of Ferozepur. The last rites of the three great freedom fighters were performed in Hussainiwala on March 23, 1931. He also paid tributes at the memorial of Bhagat Singh’s mother, Vidyawatiji and another martyr of the freedom struggle BK Dutt. Addressing the gathering in this border district of Punjab, Prime Minister said whatever can be done for the fulfillment of the dreams of these martyrs can never be enough. He said Bhagat Singh’s name has the strength to inspire so many people to live and die for the country.
Modi is the second Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi, who visited Hussainiwala in 1985, to visit the memorial. Later, Modi also paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar. He also visited Jallianwala Bagh to pay homage to all those martyrs who were massacred by the British government here in 1919. Accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Food Processing Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Prime Minister showed concern about the extensive use of fertilizers in the state and depleting water table. He called upon the farmers to make use of the scientific methods for irrigation and use less water for farming.
Using the opportunity to hit back at the Congress, which under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi has launched a bitter attack on the Land Bill, Modi said corruption during the previous regime has destroyed the country but now the new government has taken serious steps to curtail it. The Prime Minister also added that the coal blocks allocation scam during the tenure of the previous UPA government at the Centre was much bigger than the figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report.
“The coal scam was thought to Rs 1.76 lakh crore as per the CAG report. Some people said the amount was exaggerated. It has turned out to be much bigger than that figure. Only 20 coal blocks out of 204 have been auctioned by our government so far and over Rs 2 lakh crore has already been collected. Rest of the coal blocks are yet to be auctioned. Imagine how much more money will come for the development of the country,” Modi, sporting a yellow turban, which is symbolic to martyr Bhagat Singh, said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister led the nation in paying homage to the great martyrs — Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukh Dev — at their memorials in Hussainiwala in Punjab’s frontier district of Ferozepur. The last rites of the three great freedom fighters were performed in Hussainiwala on March 23, 1931. He also paid tributes at the memorial of Bhagat Singh’s mother, Vidyawatiji and another martyr of the freedom struggle BK Dutt. Addressing the gathering in this border district of Punjab, Prime Minister said whatever can be done for the fulfillment of the dreams of these martyrs can never be enough. He said Bhagat Singh’s name has the strength to inspire so many people to live and die for the country.
Modi is the second Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi, who visited Hussainiwala in 1985, to visit the memorial. Later, Modi also paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar. He also visited Jallianwala Bagh to pay homage to all those martyrs who were massacred by the British government here in 1919. Accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Food Processing Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Prime Minister showed concern about the extensive use of fertilizers in the state and depleting water table. He called upon the farmers to make use of the scientific methods for irrigation and use less water for farming.
Using the opportunity to hit back at the Congress, which under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi has launched a bitter attack on the Land Bill, Modi said corruption during the previous regime has destroyed the country but now the new government has taken serious steps to curtail it. The Prime Minister also added that the coal blocks allocation scam during the tenure of the previous UPA government at the Centre was much bigger than the figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report.
“The coal scam was thought to Rs 1.76 lakh crore as per the CAG report. Some people said the amount was exaggerated. It has turned out to be much bigger than that figure. Only 20 coal blocks out of 204 have been auctioned by our government so far and over Rs 2 lakh crore has already been collected. Rest of the coal blocks are yet to be auctioned. Imagine how much more money will come for the development of the country,” Modi, sporting a yellow turban, which is symbolic to martyr Bhagat Singh, said.
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