Those who said Ram was imaginary now chanting Jai Siya Ram: PM Modi

Rewari, Feb 16 (IANS) Taking a dig at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said those who used to think that Lord Ram was imaginary and never wanted the temple to be built in Ayodhya, have also started chanting 'Jai Siya Ram'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this while addressing a public meeting in Haryana’s Rewari after inaugurating, dedicating to the nation and laying the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 9,750 crore.

Amid a huge gathering from four districts located in south-western Haryana, the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, in his almost half an hour speech in Hindi said he knew that the people of Rewari “love him very much”.

“In 2013, when I was declared the prime ministerial candidate by the BJP, my first programme was in Rewari and Rewari blessed me with 272 plus seats. That blessing of your’s became an accomplishment. I have come to Rewari once again, so I have your blessings. This time, the NDA crosses 400,” said PM Modi, amid loud applause from the public, comprising a large number of women.

“Also at my public meeting in Rewari, I announced ‘One Rank One Pension’ guarantee and I kept that promise too.

“Seats are crucial in democracy, but for me, people's blessings are a big asset to me. In the entire world, India has reached new heights because of your blessings,” he said.

“Just a short while ago, I got the opportunity to hand over development projects worth Rs 10,000 crore to Haryana, including Rewari AIIMS, a new rail line and a metro line and a museum...The blessing of Lord Ram is such that nowadays I get the opportunity to be associated with such holy work everywhere.”

The Prime Minister said the country wished that a grand Ram temple should be built in Ayodhya.

“Today the whole country is seeing Ram Lalla sitting in the grand Ram temple. The Congress people, who used to think Lord Ram was imaginary, who never wanted Ram temple to be built, have also started chanting Jai Siya Ram.”

Taking a jibe at the Opposition, PM Modi said Congress leaders are leaving the party one by one. “Today the situation is such that even Congress workers are leaving the party. Where they are in government, even the government is not able to handle them,” he said by quoting examples of Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

Before 2014, he said, an average of Rs 300 crore was announced in the budget for the development of Railways in Haryana. “This year, around Rs 3,000 crore has been kept in the budget for the Railways. This is the difference of just 10 years,” Modi said.

“In this year's interim budget, we have set a target of making three crore sisters ‘lakhpati didi’. We have also launched the ‘NaMo Drone Didi’ scheme,” he said, while trying to woo the women by listing the government's work and schemes.

Regarding his just concluded visit to two nations, the Prime Minister said, “Just as India receives respect today in the UAE and Qatar, it also receives good wishes from every corner. This respect is not just for Modi; it belongs to all Indians, to each one of you.”