On the afternoon of 2nd February, 2014, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the historic Vijay Shankhnad rally in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing a massive crowd including lakhs of supporters and karyakartas, Shri Modi expressed deep respect for Swami Dayanand Saraswati who had made Meerut his Karma Bhoomi, and said that the city entailed tremendous growth potential as was reflected in its emergence as one of the fast growing cities in India.
Speaking about the erratic electricity supply in the State, the worrying unemployment scenario, the grave concern of safety and security of women, and the lack of infrastructure development in the State, Shri Modi said that this only reflected the dismal performance of the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Terming the SP as Samajvirodhi Party and not Samajwadi Party, Shri Modi assured of all round development under a BJP government, and said, “Things can be changed. There can be development. Youth can get jobs but that does not happen with promises only.”
He retaliated to SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statement of UP’s budget for Lok Kalyan being more than Gujarat’s entire budget by saying that inspite of a lesser budget (due to the difference in the size of the states) the people of Gujarat were prospering, while the people in UP were unhappy. He questioned where the money had gone, referring to the corruption under the SP regime in UP.
Condemning the SP’s approach of looking for ways to enrich their pockets rather than focusing on development, Shri Modi strongly disapproved of the ‘sepharish’ required to get a government job. He spoke about how youth in Gujarat were employed through computerized selection, and merely on the basis of their qualification.
He urged the Opposition to compete with him and the BJP on the aspect of development, rather than competing on the basis of the number of rallies held.
Raising concern over the state-of-affairs of sugarcane farmers, Shri Modi spoke about the apathy of the State government towards the farmers of UP. He said, “Those who believe in Ram Manohar Lohia are not bothered about farmers of a state that gave us Chaudhary Charan Singh and Mahendra Singh Tikait.” Shri Modi further went on to highlight the growth of cooperatives in Gujarat which along with focusing on tissue culture, genetic engineering and drip irrigation, had gone a long way in helping the sugar industry, and thereby empowering the farmers.
Shri Modi also went on to highlight the neglect experienced by the people of North-Eastern states. Shri Modi said, “People of Arunachal are fighting China. But these are the same people who greet each other by saying Jai Hind. Then, why is it that the students from North East cannot get houses easily? The need-of-the-hour is to make hostels for them. Children of North East are our children.”
Speaking about the global image of India, reflected especially in the past few weeks, Shri Modi said, “A few days ago women from Africa were ill-treated, a boy from Arunachal was killed. This does not augur well. Also, we need to see Delhi as a Global City but in the past few days what is happening. Our heads hang in shame.” Shri Modi also spoke highly of the academicians of Saraswati Mandir, who took care of the people of North East and Poorvanchal and were instrumental in educating the children from these regions.
Recalling the 1857 First War of Independence in Meerut, Shri Modi said that it was then that the connection of the ‘Lotus’ and ‘Roti’ was established, and now, after more than 150 years, in 2014, the Nation yet again needs the ‘Lotus’ to be able to ensure ‘Roti’ for the poor.
Upholding the BJP’s focus on ensuring peace, unity, brotherhood and Sadbhavana, Shri Modi assured the people of UP, a riot-free Uttar Pradesh under the BJP rule. “We have to make UP riot free. We have to free this state from violence, killings,” said Shri Modi.
Shri Narendra Modi gave a fitting reply to the Congress President’s remarks that the BJP believes in ‘Zeher Ki Kheti’, saying that it is the Congress that has tasted power for the maximum time and thus has also consumed the maximum poison. Speaking about the votebank politics followed by Congress, Shri Modi said, “We need to understand the Congress Party well. These days they do something - something is asked, but the answer is different. Congress is a divisive party. They believe in divide and rule, they believe in votebank politics, of making communities fight. But the time has come to end votebank politics and to end the practice of spreading poison. The need-of-hour is to embrace development politics.”
Shri Modi highlighted the BJP’s focus on inclusive and development politics by saying that when the state of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were created under Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee ji’s rule, there was no communal tension, but the creation of Telangana had led to disruption of peace. “When states were created in 2000, everyone was celebrating. But see what those who spread poison did in Andhra,” said Shri Modi.
Urging the people of Uttar Pradesh to Vote for India in 2014, Shri Modi underscored the need to come forward and take decisive steps to ensure a better future for India.
Addressing the rally, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the prosperity experienced by the minority community in Gujarat under the leadership of Shri Modi and said that the BJP treated everyone as equal. He spoke about the innumerable communal riots that have happened during the Congress reign and the deepening corruption levels that have eroded our economy, and said that the Congress party must apologize for the sorry-state-of-affairs. Shri Singh spoke about the callous governance of the Samajwadi Party by addressing issues of law and order and pitiable condition of farmers, and assured that the BJP, if brought to power, would take necessary steps for the welfare of the farmers.
Former UP CM Shri Kalyan Singh said that it would be a historic revolution in the country if Shri Modi became the Prime Minister of India. He also spoke about the need for a stable, strong, corruption free, development oriented and patriotic government, and assured the audience that BJP would give a corruption-free government, which would not only forbid prices from rising, but would also improve the law and order situation in the country.
Former Minister Satpal Malik spoke about how farmers and businessmen will prosper, and the youth will progress, under the rule of Modiji. Captain Abhimanyu said that the Nation is looking forward to a BJP government under Shri Narendra Modi, and added that Western UP and Haryana shared a close bond, and that the Yamuna did not divide these states but was rather integrating them.
Other dignitaries to attend the rally included Shri Surya Pratap Shashi (Former UP BJP President) and Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Shri Satyapal Singh.
