Pak still counting bodies, Oppn asking for proof of Balakot airstrike: PM

Jeypore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his government had taken measures to set up a ‘chowkidar’ in space and asked people to vote for a government that can take concrete decisions and not just raise slogans.

Slamming the raising questions by opposition on the Balakot airstrike Modi said, “its been a month, Pakistan is still counting the bodies. When India takes action against terrorists, enters their home and kills them then some here ask for proof.”

Launching his campaign in eastern India with a rally in Jeypore area of Odisha’s Koraput district, the Prime Minister said the NDA government wouldn’t have been able to do any development work in the country without the support of the people.

He sought blessings from his supporters for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and asserted that the NDA government has left no stone unturned to bring about development in the state.

“The NDA government has been working hard to develop road and rail infrastructure in the state. There is no dearth of funds when it comes to development work in the country. In the last five years, the government has been able to build homes for eight lakh families, light up 3,000 houses and provide gas connections to 40 lakh homes,” Modi stated.

Referring to Mission Shakti, when India demonstrated anti-satellite (ASAT) missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, he said the government has taken measures to set up a ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) in space.

He came down heavily on opposition parties who he said “belittled” the space achievement. “Those that are criticising the anti-satellite technology will be given a befitting reply in the elections,” he claimed, urging people to vote for a government that can take concrete decisions, not the one that only raises slogans.

In his twitter post written in Odia language, Modi said the ruling BJD has failed to meet the aspirations of the people while the Congress was unable to emerge as a credible opposition.

“Odisha deserves a good government and the BJP will provide it,” Modi said in the tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a brief stopover at Jagdalpur airport in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, on his way to Odisha. Modi arrived at Jagdalpur airport around 10.30 am by a special aircraft. He was there for a few minutes before proceeding to neighbouring Odisha, a local BJP leader said.

He is also scheduled to address another election meeting at Kalahandi on April 2. Polling in both Koraput and Kalahandi will be held in the first phase on April 11. Simultaneous polling will be held in Odisha for the 21 Lok Sabha seats and the 147 assembly constituencies in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.