Country in safe hands, PM says after IAF hits JeM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the nation that the country is in safe hands and he will never let the country down.

Speaking publicly for the first time after the Indian Air Force (IAF) hit Jaish-e-Mohammed training camps in Pakistan, Modi was in an exuberant mood as he addressed a public rally here.

"Today is a historic day and I feel that a few lines of a poem which I recited in Vijay Shankh Yuva Sangam in 2014 should be repeated," he said as the crowds kept cheering and waving at him.

"From the land of Churu, I repeat these lines while offering my prayers to Maa Bharati," he said.

Saugandh mujhe hai mitti ki, main desh nahin mitne doonga,

main desh nahin rukne doonga, main desh nahin jhukne doonga

saugandh mujhe hai mitti ki, main desh nahin mitne doonga,

Mera wachan hai bharat maa ko, tera sheesh jhukne nahin doonga

Jaag raha hai desh mera, har bharatwasi jitega,

Saugandh mujhe is mitti ki, main desh nahin mitne doonga

Hamein phir se dauhrana hai aur khud ko yaad dilana hai

na bhatkenge na atkenge nahin kuchh bhi ho hum desh nahin mitne denge

Saugandh hai mujhe is mitti ki, main desh nahin jhukne doonga.

Looking at the excited faces in the crowd -- who were clearly happy that the JeM bases in Pakistan had been hit earlier in the day -- Modi wondered why people were looking different today. The crowd immediately started raising slogans of "Modi, Modi".

The Prime Minister, who made no specific mention of Pakistan or JeM, asked the people to shout "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and the crowd did so.

Accusing the Congress government in Rajasthan of being uncooperative, he said: "It is quite unfortunate that not a single farmer from Rajasthan and Churu has got any money."

He asked: "Do you know why?" He himself answered: "Because the state government has not even sent a list of the farmers. They are not cooperating with the Centre."

He accused the state government of not cooperating with the Central government in the successful implementation the Ayushman Bharat Yojana by not sharing the list of patients of Rajasthan.

Politics should not be played on the issue of development, he added.

"Our government considers that a group is bigger than an individual, but the nation for us is bigger than any group."

Earlier, Modi started his address in Rajasthani dialect and said that today was a historic day and hence "we should all bow our heads to the soldiers".

"After 70 years of independence, we have dedicated a national war memorial to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation. This memorial is quite important for Rajasthan as this state has sacrificed thousands of their sons from Charu, Sikar and Jhunjhunu," he said.

Attacking the opposition, Modi said: "Your one vote will give a befitting reply to those dreaming of forming a weak government and will also strengthen my government."

--IANS

arc/mr/prs