Karnal region is a famous Basmati belt in the country. “My farmer brothers and sisters, on one thing you are being misled, naked lies are being told, you are being told that the Centre has imposed a ban on export of Basmati rice, this is 100 per cent lies. This is injustice with the farmers.
“What is the truth then, I want to tell you that in Haryana ‘mandis', Congress government has imposed 4 per cent tax and as a result Haryana farmer who sells his Basmati is unable to compete in the competitive market,” he said.
“The anti-farmer Congress, which is in power for 10 years, is responsible because of which the Basmati producing farmer is distraught,” he said, adding that the water table is going down, and the government is unable to supply adequate power to consumers.
Modi also launched a veiled attack on main opposition INLD, asking the people whether they would like the State being governed from jail.
INLD President and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has been sentenced in the teachers recruitment scam. Chautala, who is out on bail on health grounds, had said he would take oath as the next CM from Tihar Jail.
Further lambasting the Congress as well as the previous INLD government, which ruled the State from 2000-05, Modi asked the people had they got any happiness during the past 15 years.
“Tell me one thing, have the governments during the past 15 years given you any happiness, haven't you faced problems during this time, did ‘goondas' used to come for evicting people from their houses and forcibly occupying property and plots, do you want to get rid from such things, then you will have to give me an opportunity to serve you,” he said. Seeking to puncture the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government's ‘Haryana No 1' campaign, Modi said Haryana has fallen behind and lagged on several parameters. “In literacy, Haryana is at 22th position in the country. For removing unemployment, the state is at 18th position,” he said.
Modi said in terms of growth rate, poverty alleviation, per capita income, per capita expenditure on education, health, agriculture, rural development and transport, Haryana is at 20th position, 9, 8, 12, 19, 18, 13 and 7 respectively. “They talk about farmers. Who is anti-farmer. You have to decide...are they not enemies of villages,” he said. Modi sought clear mandate for BJP candidates for Haryana polls, assuring he would change the “fortunes” of Haryana. “Do not go for those who have already been tried,” he said.
