March 29
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sought vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party and hit out at the rival parties referring to the Balakot strike by the Indian Air Force last month and the recent success of Mission Shakti at a public rally in Odisha’s Koraput.
PM Modi slammed the Opposition parties for raising questions over the IAF strike at a terror camp in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing.
“It has been one month, Pakistan is still counting the dead bodies and our rivals are seeking proof for Balakot strike,” said PM Modi adding, “When India takes action against terrorists, enters their home and kills them then some here ask for proof.”
The prime minister also referred to the Mission Shakti, under which the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) shot down a satellite in space on Wednesday, entering a select group of nations having such a capability.
“We are now chowkidar in space too,” the prime minister told the election rally in Odisha, which is going to simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assembly.
“It’s about time to give an apt answer to people who are insulting the capabilities of our scientists and the armed forces,” the prime minister said.
The DRDO scientists had launched a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor missile in an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test at a target satellite orbiting in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a ‘Hit to Kill’ mode from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
PM Modi alleged that the Opposition is fighting the BJP with the intention to “form a majboor (weak) government” at the Centre in the Lok Sabha election. He also targeted the BJD government of Naveen Patnaik for having “kept Odisha backward” for decades.
“This is the right time to punish the Congress and BJD, who were given ample time in Odisha to develop the region. However, they have failed miserably,” he said addressing his first rally in the state since the election dates were announced earlier this month.
The parliamentary polls will be held in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Odisha votes for simultaneous polls in the first phase on April 11. Odisha has 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. Votes will be counted on May 23.