Raigad-Panvel will be a big centre for data and AI: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights development projects in Raigad district, criticizes Congress, and emphasizes empowerment of marginalized communities.

In Panvel city of Raigad district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a spiritual and emotional connection with Raigad district.

He recalled the time in 2013 when his name was proposed as a candidate for the Prime Minister’s position. “I had visited the Raigad Fort where the samadhi (resting place) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj remains, and took his blessings to serve the nation. The large number of people gathering here look like waves of saffron — it speaks loudly that no one can stop Maharashtra from touching the heights of development. This gathering is also giving a guarantee of what the results are going to be on November 23. Only the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led Mahayuti can increase the speed of progress and development,” Mr. Modi said.  

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“For generations, the Congress party have given false slogans of ‘garibi hatao’ (eradicate poverty), and looted the poor for generations,” Mr. Modi alleged. “Under the Congress regime, the poor of this country could never come out of poverty, and struggled for the basics of ‘roti, kapda aur makaan’ (food, clothing, and shelter), even after 70 years of Independence. In the last 10 years, for the first time, our government changed this scenario and pulled 25 crore of people out of poverty,” he said.

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Mr. Modi further said that his government had provided pucca houses to four crore homeless people, toilets to 12 crore poor families, thus providing them dignity of life. “Our Jal Jeevan Mission scheme brought water taps to 12 crore homes. Today, every person in this country has their own bank account. The poorest are transacting via UPI (Unified Payments Interface). These steps have greatly benefited Dalits, Adivasis and the Backward Classes, and empowered them to progress. 80 crore people of this country are getting free ration, of which 18 lakh people are from Raigad district alone. The Congress is asking when 25 crore people come out of poverty, why are they still getting free ration,” Mr. Modi said.

“These Aghadis [of the Maha Vikhas Aghadi] only want to push the poor back to poverty. The Congress is the enemy of poor,” he alleged.