Ek Hain to Safe Hain New Mantra of India: PM

New Delhi: Hailing the Maharashtra poll verdict as a stamp of approval for good governance, social justice and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said after the Haryana poll verdict, the Maharashtra verdict has also given a strong message of unity -- "Ek hain to safe hain". He slammed Congress and its "ecosystem" for spreading lies in the name of the Constitution and reservation and also pledged intensified efforts for its rapid development in Jharkhand.

Addressing the BJP supporters at the party headquarters, Mr Modi acknowledged the efforts of Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar for the Mahayuti's poll performance.

Slamming the Congress for its divisive politics, Mr Modi said the Congress betrayed the Constitution framers through its "jhootha secularism" for its appeasement politics. Noting that there is no provision for Waqf law in the Constitution, he said the Congress still formulated it for the "family's votebank to grow."

"Maharashtra, the land of Chattrapati Maharaj, has once again shown how to confront appeasement politics. This is the biggest victory for any party or pre-poll alliance in the last 50 years... Maharashtra ne danke ki chot par kaha ki ek hain to safe hain (Maharashtra said in a firm voice that we are safe if we stay united)" asserted the PM.

The PM said that Maharashtra punished those who try to divide people on caste, religion, language and regional lines. He said every section in the state voted for the BJP and the Mahayuti alliance.

Mr Modi's mention of the Waqf law has come at a time when a Joint Parliamentary Committee is reviewing the bill to amend the Waqf Act. While the bill is facing stiff opposition from the INDIA bloc, Union home minister Amit Shah has made it clear that the existing Waqf Act will be amended. He even maintained that the amendment bill will be passed in the winter session of Parliament commencing on November 25.

Reiterating his "parjivi" (parasite) jibe for the Congress, Mr Modi said the Opposition party is now reduced to being a parjivi in Indian politics due to its divisive politics and cannot form government on its own. He cited the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) performance to attack the Congress, saying not only itself, it also damages the prospects of its allies.

Keeping its attack on the Congress, Mr Modi said after Independence, the framers of the Indian Constitution embraced "panth nirpekshta" (secularism) while respecting Hindu traditions, but the Congress twisted it into a false version of secularism.

"The Congress has torn apart the secular spirit enshrined in our Constitution. The Constitution's framers embraced secularism while respecting Hindu traditions, but the Congress has twisted that into a false version of secularism. By sowing the seeds of appeasement, they have betrayed the very essence of our Constitution. They ignored Supreme Court rulings and created mechanisms like the Waqf Board to further their political agenda. This is nothing short of a betrayal of true secularism," said the PM.

Mr Modi also spoke about the BJP's efforts to promote and preserve the Marathi language and culture, which he said the Congress failed to do despite being in power for decades. He insisted that respect for mother tongues, cultures and historical heritage is intrinsic to the BJP's character. He said Mahayuti will balance development and heritage of Maharashtra, the land of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shambhala Maharaj, B.R. Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule and many such icons.

Highlighting his vision for a "Viksit Bharat", the PM referred to the "Panch Pran" he introduced from the ramparts of the Red Fort, which included pride in India's heritage.

Noting that Indian voters stand firmly with the principle of "nation first", the Prime Minister remarked that citizens across the country reject leaders and parties driven by a "kursi first" (power hungry) mentality . He said every state now favours a stable government and the Congress has failed to read the voters' minds.

"This verdict also sends a strong message that the entire nation will adhere to only one Constitution, which is Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. Congress and its allies attempted to revive Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, but Maharashtra made it clear that such efforts will not succeed. No power in the world can bring back Article 370," Mr Modi asserted.

Calling out the Congress's "hypocrisy" Mr Modi said, “This election has exposed the double standards of the INDIA bloc. While the Congress allied with a faction of Balasaheb’s party for power, they refused to honour his ideology. I challenged the Congress’s allies to get the Congress to even speak a word in favor of Balasaheb’s policies, but they couldn’t. The Congress also repeatedly insulted Veer Savarkar. In Maharashtra, they momentarily halted their disrespect to seek votes but failed to recognise his sacrifices. This hypocrisy has revealed their true nature.”

Continuing his attack on the Congress and the "family," Mr Modi said, “the Congress’s royal family’s hunger for power has distorted the idea of social justice. Once, Indira (Gandhi) Ji opposed casteism, but today, the Congress spreads casteism to satisfy its hunger for power. The Congress’s priority is now the family, not the people, which harms democracy."

The Prime Minister claimed that there is growing outrage within the Congress because of the "family's hunger for power", which has destroyed the party. He also blamed the Congress for "urban naxalism" while pointing out that the remote control of this urban naxalism is outside India.

Maintaining that the BJP is focused on construction, Mr Modi said the BJP-led NDA is also committed to providing new opportunities for youth across various sectors, fostering an environment conducive to innovation and startups.

Concluding his speech, Mr Modi reinforced "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", stating, "I have always said that we need to bring new youth into politics. Today, the NDA candidates without political family ties have earned voter trust, a promising sign... Elections come and go, but the BJP’s goal is to build a developed India. In just 10 years, we moved from the 10th to the 5th largest economy. Soon, India will be the 3rd largest. United, we will achieve every goal.”