Mangalore: Modi proposes development plan for coast, says Congress has ruined nation
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
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Mangalore, Feb 18: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, as part of 'Bharata Gellisi' programme of the party, on Tuesday February 18 presented his development agenda before a crowd of about 1.5 lac people who had gathered at Central Maidan to hear their leader, and said that the Congress had ruined the nation due to its lack of vision.
Arriving at the venue amidst thundering chants of 'Modi Modi' and 'Modi lao desh bachao', the Gujarat chief minister began his address by greeting in Tulu, much to the delight of the crowd.
Impressed with the large crowd, he said, "I had come to this same ground some months back, but see how time changes - at that time the ground was not filled to capacity, but today there is no space left. Right from airport to the maidan, I saw human walls on both sides, which shows the love you have for me. The people of Mangalore have won me today, you have made me yours."
Launching himself straight into the problems faced by farmers of Dakshina Kannada, he said, "I did have some connection with Mangalore, because of areca. Whenever the areca farmers face problems, whenever areca prices go down, a delegation from Mangalore comes to meet me in Gujarat and requests me to do something to save their farmers. When BJP leaders ask me something, how can I refuse. I have extended whatever help I could.
"But for how long can we keep just helping farmers? Instead, we need policies and measures such that our farmers do not have to worry about areca year after year. Where will they go if they feel tensed every year about their yield? In our country there is no strategy at the grassroots level, no priorities. Each state goes its own way. India is an agricultural country, it is a land of villages, and if we have to develop our villages, we need to focus on how to increase their purchasing power. When purchasing power in villages increases, economy also grows, but how will it grow if people have no money? Hence the economic policy should be strong, such that every village, every worker, every farmer gets purchasing power, and that is how even cities will also develop," he said.
Taking a dig at Congress over the recent pepper spray incident in the parliament, he said, "Have you ever thought what happens with the 'kari menasu' (pepper) that you (farmers) grow? You thought your pepper could only be used in food, but Congress used it in the parliament too. It seemed like they had joined the Aam Aadmi Party. Everyone was coughing, and Mangalore farmers would have thought, 'Parliament did not have time to discuss about our areca, but our pepper at least was used'.
"Congress has been throwing dust into people's eyes all these years, now they have started throwing pepper too. They do this so that people keep crying and become blind to their corruption and misdeeds. Congress has ruined the nation. If anyone questions them, he is sent to jail. They misuse institutions like the CBI, they threaten politicians with CBI enquiry, and they thought they could make Modi shiver too with such threats, but they didn't know they had dialled the wrong number," he added.
"Even in Karnataka the same thing is happening, though here the state government is still new. Recently, their central leaders came to Karnataka. Till when will they fool the people? Public knows everything. Try as much as you (Congress) want to, to mislead the people, but people know what you have done," he said.
Reiterating the statement he made in Davangere earlier in the day he said, "There is no democracy in Congress. India being the largest democracy in the world has a mainstream party that does not respect democracy. We cannot imagine living in such a country for long. There is a need to understand the lies told by the Congress. Their promises are misleading. See what they have done to the country. Economy wise we are pauper, the youth are unemployed, our farmers are committing suicide, there is poverty, there is corruption everywhere, women do not feel safe and the old do not get proper healthcare. India has never seen a decade like this since Independence; the last decade has ruined India in every way. The Supreme Court keeps chiding the UPA government but still Congress is not bothered about the country and keeps on with its misdeeds shamelessly."
"Today Congress party is a burden to India and if we need to take the country forward in the path of development, we need to get rid of this burden. We need a Congress-free India. The Congress has no neta (leader), no neeti (policy) and no neeyat (intention) - who will save the country?" he questioned, and was answered by chants of 'Modi Modi' from the crowd.
Development agenda for coast
Going on to speak on subjects closer to the hearts of people of the coastal region, he proposed a comprehensive coastal development plan that would boost the country's economy.
But before that, lauding Mangaloreans for their resourcefulness, he said, "I am amazed by the resourcefulness and power of Mangaloreans who have given so many banks to the nation. You (Mangaloreans) and Gujarat share a special bond - you open banks and we fill money in those banks.
"In the coming days we need to have a development plan for the coast. All other the countries in the world which have coasts have become powerful. When the country has a coast, the economy gets a boost and there are opportunities for global positioning. But for this the leaders need to have vision. We need a separate model for our coastal development. We cannot run a country with a single key, there cannot be a single solution for the entire nation. Every state has its own strengths, its own resources and dreams, we need to study them and chalk out development plans specific to them," he said.
"Why not have a separate development programme for coastal districts? When A B Vajpayee was the PM, he had proposed the Sagar Mala project, and if he had come to power in 2004, the project would have been initiated and our coast would have developed. We do not come with promises, we come with intentions. Port-led development is the need of the hour. Prt development is a narrow-minded thought, what we need is port-led development. We need road connectivity, railway connectivity, the best of infrastructure, cold storage and warehouse networks, and institutes for human resource development. We have to ensure that people living along the coast get livelihood.
"The global market for fish is huge, so why not make use of advanced technology and have modernised harbours? Techology is much advanced today, but our fishermen still use diesel and kerosene for boats and go hunting across the waters for their catch. But today we can use satellite technology which can tell the fisherman the exact location of the catch. I have implemented this successfully in Gujarat and hence the fishermen's time is not wasted in looking for fish," Modi said.
"The Mogaveer community (fishermen community) can be empowered through technology. But all this will not strike to Congress. They have no plan for developing the coast. Holistic development of the coast will benefit the country. Southern Karnataka is urbanizing fast, but it is unfortunate that the UPA government thinks that urbanization is a bane. It is time we look at urbanization as opportunity. Why not have new cities, medi city, finance city, knowledge city... this is the 21st century India. We (BJP) will encourage every state. We need to come out of old ideas of development. Earlier it was only about roads, drainage, airport etc, today we need to change this thought. Just road and rail connectivity will not work. The quality of life has to change. We need optical networks and gas grids, we have to use our resources to change our quality of life," he expounded.
"I am suprised that there is deficiency in power supply in Karnataka. If they cannot take away your darkness, how will they lighten up your lives? Gujarat has surplus power, but Karnataka has no capacity to take it. There is not even a transmission tower to take this power. Our intention is to bring change in people's lives, and see that their needs are fulfilled," he added.
Failed to capitalise on IT development
He pointed out that though Karnataka has developed in the IT sector, the Congress has failed to capitalise on it because of its 'mediocre thinking'.
"Our Karnataka is famous in the whole world because of its development in the IT sector. Our youth have got the power to make the world dance on their fingertips. We used to be snake charmers once upon a time but today we are 'mouse charmers' through our computers. But we need to think on where we stand in the world in terms of IT development.
"IT was our strength but because of lack of ideas and policies, a stagnancy has set into the IT sector. We are still in the low end, and that will not work. We have to move towards the high end. Why is there no Google or Microsoft in our country? It is because we have not focussed on research and development, there are no innovation centres. We have to give opportunities to youth. If we keep doing service providing work and continue to be in outsourcing, we will disappear in no time. I assure the youth that I am a person with a modern outlook, and I will bring change," he said.
"Today sectors like IT, ET and nanotechnology have pervaded our lives. They can change our lives for the better, but we need to work on them. Because of mediocre thinking in everything we have not been able to lead in these fields. Crude diamonds are imported to our country, we cut them and export them back. Should we keep cutting diamonds or make our country the hub of jewellery production?" Modi said.
Stressing on the need for developing tourism in the country, he said people come from all over the world to India but they are low cost tourists who come in bulk, who cannot afford to spend much. "We need to bring in high cost tourists and think of how we can develop tourism," he said.
"We are a country of cotton growers and we were on top in the textiles industry. Why is that today even small countries have gone ahead of us? We have enough of readymade garments industries, but because of mediocre thinking we have not developed in this sector. We need zero defect manufacturing and aim at global marketing, with this even the poorest can earn their livelihoods," Modi said.
"In 2009 Congress had promised to provide employment to an individual in every family. But they betrayed the people. During NDA regime, 6.27 crore people got employment, but during Congress rule from 2009 to now, only 27 lac were given jobs," he pointed out.
"For country's development, our focus should be on youth. If they are given opportunities they can change the country. For this skill development is necessary," he added.
Calling upon the people to defeat Congress in the coming elections, he said, "Congress party is drowned in corruption. Supreme Court has never criticized any government as much as UPA. We can free India from corruption, but till we wipe out Congress, we cannot wipe out corruption."
"I have come here to ask your vote for country's development. The 2014 election is not just about having a new government in power. It is a new hope, a new assurance and a new joy. After the elections we will climb new heights. Party is always above individual, and country is above any party. Hence we have to fight elections for the country, and not for any individual or any party. We have to go above vote bank politics and move towards development. I once again say that you (Mangaloreans) have won me today," he concluded, exhorting the people to vote for India, defeat Congress and root out corruption.
Prior to his address, Naresh Shenoy of NaMo Brigade and Chakravarthy Sulibele of NaMo Bharath together presented a conch to Modi. Farming tools were also symbolically presented for the construction of Statue of Unity in Gujarat by BJP Yuva Morcha vice-president Y Bharat Shetty.
BJP state president Prahlad Joshi welcomed the gathering. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Sunil Kumar, C T Ravi and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda spoke before the arrival of Modi.
Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa,state BJP vice-president Bhanuprakash, Sulochana GK Bhat, Surendran, Monappa Bhandary, Capt Ganesh Karnik, S Angara, Nagaraj Shetty, Padmanabha Kotary, and others were present on this occasion.
Prior to the event, thousands of students held a rally from T V Raman Pai Convention Centre to the venue.