In a strong re-election pitch to the business community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday promised collateral-free loan of up to Rs 50 lakh, Rs 10-lakh accidental insurance to GST-registered entities, credit card facility for traders, a pension scheme for small shopkeepers and a new retail policy.
Addressing a traders' convention here, Modi said opposition Congress abused businessmen by calling all of them 'chor' (thieves), while the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi used to take pride in hailing from the businessmen community of Baniya.
The BJP government, he said, has stood by traders in thick and thin and will upon re-election set up a National Traders' Welfare Board to address their issues.
Stating that the country has seen the "insults" meted out by Congress to traders, he said the opposition party has in its 70-year rule only "insulted" businessmen.
"They called all businessmen chor (thieves)" without realising the contribution of the business community in the economy, he said. "Congress' naamdaars (dynasts) cannot see anything but themselves. Gandhiji used to proudly proclaim himself as a Baniya, yet Congress abuses all businessmen, calls them chor (thieves). Today's Congress is neither aware of history nor the ground reality. Congress' naamdaars are unaware of the traders' contribution towards the country's development."
"I am impressed by the hard work of traders... their business has helped the economy bloom," he said. "I have tried to make your life and business easy in last five years."
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