Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to turn the table on the Congress party as he said that the nation wanted to know the link between the Congress and 'Michel Mama' (Augusta Westland middleman Christian Michel) who Modi claimed was lobbying for fighter plane deal for another company when Congress-led UPA was in power.
The prime minister was in Solapur in South Maharashtra for the inauguration of several important development works including the launch of a housing scheme to provide 30,000 homes for the unorganised labourers like beedi workers.
Modi said he was working continuously to rid the system of middlemen like Christian Michel. "Our government is carrying out a cleanliness drive within the government along with villages, towns and cities. That is why you are seeing the media reports of big names facing probes and court cases. Earlier, the government had made middlemen part of the government system. They compromised national security. 'Michel Mama' was lobbying for fighter plane from another company. Is that the reason why the deal could not go through at that time?," Modi sought to know.
He also told the 50,000 strong audience that he would not stop this cleanliness drive. " Your blessings are the strength of this chowkidar."
Attacking the Congress further, Modi said that during 2004-2014 the government was remotely controlled.
"During these ten years a decision was taken to build 13 lakh homes for the poor but only 8 lakh homes were constructed. During our four and a half years we approved 70 lakh homes out of which 14 lakh are ready and another 37 lakh are nearing completion. Now, you people are free to compare our performance record and previous government's performance record," stated the prime minister.
Referring to the the development works that he inaugurated, Modi said his government was not just working for show. " We have ended the culture of election-centric development works photo opportunities. Today I have laid the foundation stone, you will see that I will come back to inaugurate the works after their completion a couple of years later," said Modi.
Referring to the passing of the bill in Lok Sabha for 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections from the upper caste community, Modi said that it was a historic bill which widened the scope of his government's 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' vision.
"Lies were being spread that we will take away from the reservation for the dalits, OBCs and tribals. But we have showed the way how to strengthen all weaker sections of the society without touching the quota for dalits, tribals and OBCs," said Modi.
