PM calls Opposition ‘enemies’ of India’s development

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the Opposition, especially the Congress, for creating false narratives in the country over employment generation. He said that those creating false narratives are enemies of the country’s development.

Modi was on his first visit to Mumbai after taking the oath of office for the third term. He laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple projects related to the road, railways and port sectors worth more than `29,400 crores.

Accusing the Opposition of creating negative perceptions about the country through their “false narratives”, Modi said, “They are enemies of investment and infrastructure. They are enemies of India’s development.”

Referring to a report by the RBI over employment generation in the country, the Prime Minister said that despite the Covid pandemic, record employment has been generated in the country.

“Recently, the RBI has published a detailed report over employment. As per this report, around 8-crore new jobs have been generated in the country in the last three to four years. These figures have silenced those who have created false narratives. These people who create false narratives are enemies of investment. They are enemies of infrastructure development. They are enemies of India's development. Their every policy is aimed at betraying the youth and preventing employment. Now, they are being exposed. The people of India are now rejecting all their lies,” Modi said.

The PM said that both small and big investors have enthusiastically welcomed the third term of his government. He noted that a stable government will work with triple speed in its third term.

Inaugurating the Indian Newspaper Society's secretariat, INS Towers, in Mumbai, Modi said the media's natural role was to create discourse by discussing serious issues.

He said the role of newspapers was crucial in the journey to Viksit Bharat in the next 25 years and appealed to Indian publications to enhance their global presence.

Modi expressed confidence that India will soon become the third-largest economy and spoke about how the nation has become the leader in digital payments.

The projects launched by the PM include the 11.8 km Than-Borivali tunnel project worth `16,600 crore, tunnel work at Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) worth over `6,300 crore, Kalyan Yard remodelling and Gati Shakti multi-modal cargo terminal at Turbhe in Navi Mumbai. The Prime Minister also dedicated new platforms at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and the extension of platforms (10 and 11) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

Modi launched the Mukhyamantri Yuva Karya Prashikshan Yojana with an outlay of around `5,600 crore. It is an internship programme that will provide `10,000 per month stipend to interns during the internship.

The Prime Minister said that Maharashtra possesses a glorious history, an empowered present and dreams of a prosperous future. Highlighting the state’s role in making India a developed nation, he said that the power of industry, agriculture and the finance sector made Mumbai the financial hub of the country.

“I aim to use the power of Maharashtra to transform it into an economic powerhouse of the world. Make Mumbai the fintech capital of the world,” he said.