Modi woos farmers, says 'Mar Jawan, Mar Kisan' is UPA slogan

Referring to farmer suicides in Vidarbha, Modi said Gujarat too had cotton growers, but they were not taking extreme step

Blaming UPA's policies for the spate of farmer suicides in Vidarbha, Narendra Modi today said the Centre chose to ban cotton exports, badly hitting cultivators, but provided subsidy on mutton export.

"They have turned Lal Bahadur Shastri's slogan of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' into 'Mar Jawan, Mar Kisan'. Pakistan beheads our soldiers and our Government feeds Pakistan PM chicken biryani," the BJP leader said addressing a rally, where he attacked Union Agriculture Minister and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Referring to farmer suicides in Vidarbha, Modi said Gujarat too had cotton growers, but they were not taking the extreme step like their counterparts in Maharashtra's cotton belt.

"Like in Vidarbha there were cotton growers in Gujarat and it too had to face drought. But, farmers in Gujarat did not think of ending their lives. In Vidarbha cotton production is 280 kg per hectare, while in Gujarat it is 630 kg," he said.

The Centre has not equipped the farmers with even the basic techniques to improve their production quality, leaving them with no choice but to commit suicide, he alleged.

"There is an agriculture university in this region (in Akola). But is it of any use to the farmers?" he asked the gathering.

Modi blamed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and the Congress for the plight of farmers.

The Gujarat CM slammed the Centre for banning cotton export, but providing subsidy on mutton export. "Because of ban on cotton export farmers in Gujarat suffered losses of Rs 7,000 crore. Imagine what farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh must have suffered.

"If the (mutton) subsidy amount was spent on construction of warehouses and cold storage facilities, farmers' lives would have improved," he said.

Dubbing the Congress manifesto as "dhokha patra" (betrayal document), Modi said the party has promised employment to 10 crore people when in ten years of UPA rule, it gave employment to only 1.25 crore people.

Hitting out at Rahul, Modi said, "shehzada came to Vidarbha recently and criticised Gujarat's development. He has been coming to Gujarat since 2002...But people of Gujarat paid no heed to him as they know the facts about the State."

Since this poll battle is for the next Government in Delhi, the current ruling coalition's performance needs to be discussed threadbare, he said. "But 'Shehzada' is not answering questions related to UPA's performance."

This was BJP stalwart's second election meeting in Vidarbha after the one in Amravati earlier in the day.