PM Modi projects his government as pro-poor

New Delhi: On a day Congress held a rally to attack him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday projected his government as pro-poor and pro-farmers and lashed out at "perverted" critics for their "congenital habit" of running down the BJP which he wanted his party to counter vigorously.

He dwelt at length about the measures taken for the "benefit" of the poor and the farmers and asked his party MPs to highlight this while making a contrast between his government and the previous ones on the similar lines as 'black and white' and 'colour' in the television world.

Modi refrained from speaking about the Land Acquisition Bill against which Congress organised the rally in New Delhi but mentioned his government's initiatives aimed at benefitting the farmers, including the "bold" decision to pay compensation to those who suffered in the recent rains by bringing down the criteria of damage from 50 per cent to 33 per cent.

The only oblique reference he made to the controversial bill was when he attacked "perverted minds", including a section of media, for wrongly projecting his speech in Bengaluru during the party's National Council meeting earlier this month.

While talking about his efforts to curb corruption and leakage of public funds, he targeted former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, without naming him, for having said that 'out of Re one, only 15 paise reaches the people', and observed that "you do not have to only do analysis but treat the disease".

In his hour-long speech at a meeting of party MPs, Modi said, "All decisions I am taking are for the welfare of the poor. We are working for the poor, not for being in news but because we cannot sleep peacefully if we don't do it. We live for the poor. We are in public life not to enjoy the power but for the welfare of the poor." Citing examples like drop in inflation and falling cement prices, he said these were the result of his government's schemes which had benefitted the poor.

"Some people have this 'janmjaat (congenital)' habit of running down BJP. They have a right to criticise us but then they have no right to call themselves neutral. I have always been speaking about the poor, working for them.

With BJP veteran LK Advani and some other party leaders like Venkaiah Naidu sitting on dais with him, the Prime Minister exhorted party MPs to spread the message about his government's performance, particularly the measures taken for the poor.

"You should become more active and tell people what all we are doing. Don't think about what media is saying. Hold your head high, be confident and tell the people what we are doing for them and they will laud you."

Slamming the critics, he said, "Some people have decided not to hear anything good, not to say anything good and not to see anything good. We should not waste our time on them but focus on those who want to listen."

Modi, who was addressing the party MPs on the eve of the second half of Parliament's Budget session, highlighted the schemes initiated by his 10-month-old government and said these were all intended to benefit the poor.

Punctuating his speech with attacks on his critics, including a section of media, for magnifying "small" things, he said, "You must have seen how small incidents have been constantly magnified. Since they have nothing to counter the big (good) work, they are exaggerating small incidents."

He did not elaborate but the remarks came in the backdrop of attacks over controversial statements of some Union ministers and party MPs besides alleged activities of Sangh-affiliates. Critics say that such incidents have continued despite disapproval by the Prime Minister.

Insisting that government's initiatives were bearing results, he said, "The US President (Barack Obama) as also the head of the World Bank and IMF, all accept that India is the fastest growing economy of the world".

"In anybody looks close, he will find that our effort is to help the common masses, the new middle classes, who do not want to go back to their jhuggis at any cost. Our attempt is to empower the poor. We live for the poor. We are not here to enjoy power," he said.

His government, he said, was driven by 'rashtraniti (policies for nations progress) and not politics.

"Politics says we should waste public exchequer, distribute it and receive public praise. This politics has destroyed the country. Only 'rashtraniti can save the country. It says we should empower the people," he said.