Modi slams rivals for politicizing Pakistan attacks on border

Spells out his vision for Mumbai to make it global financial capital

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed his political rivals for politicising the issue of repeated firing from Pakistan on India’s border areas. There is no need for one to get into a verbal duel because Indian soldiers are giving a befitting reply to the attack from across the border, Modi said here on Thursday while campaigning for the Maharashtra state Assembly polls.

On how he reacted to the Mumbai terror attack, Modi said: “I had announced it was not the attack on Mumbai, but on Hindustan. I did not politicise the issue. However, it is unfortunate that those desperate and frustrated are politicising the Pakistan attacks on India's border.” Modi was speaking at a well-attended rally in the Gujarati-dominated eastern suburb Ghatkopar.

Modi’s obvious reference was the criticism made against him by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray that he was not giving due importance to cross-border attacks and was instead more interested in campaigning for the Maharashtra polls.

Modi, whose speech was repeatedly disturbed by slogan shouting by party members, came down heavily on Congress and NCP saying that why Mumbai did not become global commercial capital during its 15 year rule. Besides, why Maharashtra has not scaled new high in its development. ''In this land, Mahatma Gandhi had given a call for complete freedom, time has come to give full majority to BJP to rule Maharashtra by casting your precious vote on October 15,'' Modi asked the gathering.

Modi said there will be a total rout of those projecting themselves as strongman (without directly mentioning Shiv Sena) and also chacha and bhatija (uncle and nephew without directly naming Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. He however, reiterated to give a comfortable majority so that BJP can form a strong government which can give results.

In his 40 minute long speech, Modi also spelt out his vision for Mumbai and also for other cities. " It is my resolve to make 500 cities modern and clean and projects such as solid waste management, waste water treatment, power generation will be implemented through public private partnership. The sewage water can be recycled and used as organic farming in villages. This will reduce fertilizer subsidy and that money can be used as viability gap funding for various development projects in Mumbai and other cities,'' he explained.

Morreover, tourism can be developed in  Mumbai. ''Development of Mumbai and Maharashtra is key to push the development of India. This will change the economy,'' he noted.