Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a scathing attack on Opposition Congress for spreading "lies and rumours" on issues ranging from dilution of anti-Dalit atrocities law to farmer issues, saying people who are used to worshipping a family have started opposing the country in their zeal to oppose Modi.
Speaking at a public rally after inaugurating the Rs 11,000-crore Eastern Peripheral Expressway, he said the Congress was "openly" spreading lies for its narrow political gains.
"People who are used to worshipping one family cannot worship democracy," he said.
After losing elections, they are rattled. "Modi ke virodh mein desh ka virodh karne lagenge, aisa mujhe nahi laga tha (I had not thought that in opposing Modi, they would start opposing the country)," he said.
At the rally, which came a day before by-elections in neighbouring Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, he asked citizens to see who are the people on either side.
"On that side are the people for whom their family is the country. For me, my country is my family," he said.
Alleging that the Congress never had faith in democracy or any institutions, he said the opposition party created a crisis of confidence when it pointed fingers at the Supreme Court, raised doubts on Election Commission and EVMs, eyed with suspicion the Reserve Bank and its policies and questioned international agencies praising India.
Modi further said the Congress even doubted credibility of institutions giving economic indicators, tried to put in docks agencies that are probing their misdeeds, negated the valour of the Army that conducted surgical strikes across the border and criticised foreign dignitaries praising the government.
"Now they are also seeing the media as biased," he said.
The prime minister said he is not bothered by the Opposition attacks on him as he knows the people of the country are with him and those who for 70 years deceived poor, middle-class, farmers and youth are now rattled.
"Truth is that Congress and its allies either create obstacles or make fun of any work done for upliftment of poor, Dalits and tribals. To them, the country's development too is a joke. To them, Swachh Bharat, free cooking gas (LPG) connection to poor women, building toilets and opening bank accounts for poor are a joke," he said.
Without taking the name of Congress or its president Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Those used to seeing power for generations consider any work done for poor as a joke. Those who tear Cabinet notes don't deem it fit to respect law passed by Parliament unanimously."
Speaking in a region dominated by sugarcane farmers and Dalits, Modi said those with selfish motives are shedding crocodile tears over Dalit issues.
"For their own narrow political gains, they are openly lying on Supreme Court ruling," he said referring to an order of the apex court on the verdict on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The verdict has been seen, by many, as a dilution of the Act and the government made special efforts to counter such a narrative.
"They don't realise that their lies can create instability in the country," he said. "Be it the law for the prevention of atrocities against Dalits or the reservations for them, they have lied and spread rumours to mislead people."
While accusing the Opposition of doing populist politics, he said his party does politics for masses by thinking about Dalits and those exploited and deprived for long.
Stating that his government has not just taken measures to create opportunities for Dalits, it has also provided security and justice to them in last four years.
Listing of initiatives, he said the prevention of Dalit atrocities law has been made more stringent and the list of acts of atrocities against Dalits has been widened to 47 from previous 22. Also, specials courts are being constituted to fast-track hearing of cases of atrocities against Dalits.
The government, he said, has decided to constitute a commission for sub-categorisation of backward class so as to give the benefit of reservation in education and government jobs to the most backward classes within the OBC list.
Modi said the government wanted to give Constitutional Status to the Other Backward Class (OBC) Commission but a legislation was blocked by the Congress and its allies in Parliament.
"But I want to assure OBC that the step taken will be fulfilled," he said.
Modi said a new lie that is being spread is about contract farming attracting 18 per cent Goods and Service Tax (GST). "I want to ask my farmer brothers not to pay any heed to such rumours and instead should report about those spreading such rumours and I promise law will do its job (against them)."
To cane farmers of the area, he said the government has raised minimum support price (MSP) for sugarcane by about 11 per cent, increased blending of sugarcane extracted ethanol in petrol to 10 per cent and decided to provide Rs 5.50 per quintal to farmers directly to clear a part of their dues stuck with sugar mills.
Listing pro-rural and agriculture initiatives, he said the Union Budget in February this year provided Rs 14 lakh crore for creation of rural infrastructure, fertilizer is being coated with neem to avoid diversion, the scope of irrigation and crop insurance schemes has been widened and investment provisioned for cold-chain infrastructure.
"This government believes in doing work, rather than talking. Every penny spent is for the benefit on people," he added.