The Congress on Tuesday picked holes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at an election rally in Imphal, alleging that many of his claims were blatantly false. This was Mr. Modi’s first election address in Manipur, which will vote in two phases on February 28 and March 5.
Mr. Modi had claimed that the BJP's double–engine government has laid a strong foundation for Manipur for the next 25 years.
Countering this, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is also party‘s election observer for the State, tweeted, “The truth is the people of Manipur are fed up with the double–engine haijinbi govt. of BJP in Delhi and Imphal. The mood of Manipur is clear. Come 10th March, it will be Bye-Bye, BJP!” ‘Haijinbi” stands for false promises in Manipuri.
In a long tweet thread, Mr. Ramesh picked out “six lies”. The Prime Minister’s claim that Manipur has got full vaccine cover is wrong. Mr. Ramesh pointed out that only 47.6% of eligible population have got double dose.
“PM claimed balanced development in Manipur & taking administration to the door. The truth is BJP govt. has effectively shut the doors of the Autonomous District Councils by not holding elections in the last 5 years. This is murder of democracy in the hills and the grassroots.”
Mr. Modi in his speech had said that under the Congress government, the State’s power sector was badly hit. Mr. Ramesh said it is blatantly false since the Modi government gave a national award to the Congress govt. in 2015-16 for power sector reforms.
“PM claimed palm oil plantations will benefit Manipur’s farmers while the truth is it is the transfer of profits & farm lands to 2-3 big palm oil companies. PM made tall claims on bringing railways to Manipur. Truth is Congress govt. completed more than 70% of the projects by 2017,” Mr. Ramesh said.
PM Modi was curiously silent, Mr. Ramesh said, on fundamental issues facing the States including the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, minimum support price and irrigation facilities for farmers, rising unemployment, price rise of essential commodities which are above national average and the rising drug trade.
