Promising that if BJP is voted to power in Telangana, a leader from backward classes will be made the Chief Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Tuesday, November 7, that BJP alone can politically empower OBCs. Addressing a public meeting titled ‘OBC Atma Gaurava (self-respect) Sabha’ at LB Stadium in Hyderabad, he recalled that it was at this venue in 2013 that the foundation was laid for making first OBC Prime Minister of the country.
He said that the stadium has a special place in his life as people purchased tickets to attend the public meeting, making it the first such meeting in the history of public life in India. He slammed both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Congress, describing them as “anti-development” and “anti-BC”.
“The BCs, poor, Dalit, SCs, STs all have made up their mind for a change. For nine years there was an anti-development, anti-BC, anti-SC and anti-ST government. With elections on November 30, you have the best opportunity to root out this anti-BC government,” he said.
Recalling that Telangana was formed on three issues of water, funds and jobs, he said the “anti-people” government betrayed people on all these three issues. Stating that BCs played an important role in the movement for Telangana state, he alleged that after the formation of Telangana state, the government’s biggest betrayal was against BCs.
Modi alleged that the BRS government was never bothered about fulfilling the aspirations of BCs, SCs and STs as it was busy for the welfare of one family, taking a dig at Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. “In the DNA of Congress and BRS three things are common. Family rule, corruption and appeasement,” he said. He remarked that the families with the mentality of working for one family can never allow a BC to become the chief minister.
Modi claimed that NDA and BJP always cared for the interests of OBCs, Dalits, tribals and weaker sections. He said that when Vajpayee government was in power, APJ Abdul Kalam was made the President. In 1996, tribal leader PA Sangma was made Lok Sabha Speaker, and PM Modi said that BJP supported Sangma’s name for the post of the President in 2012.
Modi said NDA nominated Balayogi as the first Dalit Speaker of Lok Sabha. It made Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit, the President and it also made Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, the President, he said.
Stating that only BJP gave maximum political representation to OBCs, he mentioned that there are 27 OBC ministers in the NDA government.
Modi said that Vishwakarmas constitute a majority among BCs and without them daily life can’t even be imagined. Under PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Rs 13,000 crore will be spent on them to help them overcome the hardships, he said.
He alleged that the BRS government failed to provide jobs and skill development to BC youth. It also failed to fulfil the promise of Rs 1,000 crore budget every year for BC welfare, he mentioned.
Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader and actor Pawan Kalyan, state BJP president G Kishan Reddy, MP K Laxman and other leaders also addressed the public meeting.