At expressway launch, Modi switches to election mode, takes on Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday switched over to election mode and launched a scathing attack on the Congress while inaugurating India’s first green and smart highway — the Eastern Peripheral Expressway — in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhaghpat.

Hitting out at the grand old party, Modi said that people who “worship” one family cannot worship the democracy and for the Congress, their family was their country.

“People who worship one family cannot worship democracy. For Congress, their family is their country. For me, my country is my family. The people of this country are the members of my family,” Modi said while addressing a gathering in Bhaghpat.

The prime minister said that Congress was having sleepless nights, seeing the large crowd in the BJP’s rallies despite the scorching heat and accused the grand old party of demeaning the constitutional institutions of the country.

“Congress spending sleepless nights seeing such huge crowds in our rallies even after 4 yrs of govt. The truth is that they neither believe in democracy nor the institutions working on the principles of Constitution,” He said.

Modi dedicated the 14-lane Eastern Peripheral Expressway to the nation. Built at a cost of whopping Rs 11,000 crore, the 135-km highway will be lit by solar power and have rainwater harvesting system on every 500 metres on both sides.

During the inauguration ceremony of the highway, Modi gave the report card of his government’s four years of rule. Comparing NDA’s four years with UPA’s four years, Modi claimed that his government built 27 km highway per day as opposed to Congress’ average of 12 km per day.

He said that the BJP-led central government was giving maximum attention to rail, road and water transport and will soon connect Uttar Pradesh will the sea through waterways.

“We have given maximum attention to rail, road and water transport. Around 100 waterways are underway and soon UP will be connected with the sea. Big ships will be able to bring goods directly to the state,” he said.

He also claimed that the manufacturing received a big boost under his flagship ‘Make in India’ scheme and more companies set up their units in India.

“Through ‘Make in India’ campaign manufacturing has received a boost, as a result, now there are 120 mobile phone manufacturing factories in India as compared to only 2, four years back,” the PM added.