In a major counter-offensive to the opposition's 'no family' jibe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that 140 crore Indians are "my family" and attacked the "dynasty parties", saying that they may have different faces, but "jhoot and loot" was their common character.
Modi's comments came a day after RJD supremo Lalu Prasad at a rally of the grand alliance in Patna said, "what can we do if Narendra Modi does not have a family of his own? He keeps bragging about the Ram temple. He is not even a true Hindu. In Hindu tradition, a son must shave his head and beard upon the demise of his parents. Modi did not do so when his mother died".
Hitting back, Modi reiterated that his commitment was to the people of the country and that he had left home at a young age with the dream of serving the people.
Addressing a well-attended public rally in Adilabad district of Telangana, the Prime Minister also said he had dedicated himself to public welfare as a "sevak".
Countering the opposition's point that he had no family, the PM said "140 crore people of this country are my family. Mera Bharat, mera parivaar (my India is my family). My life is like an open book. People of the country know about it."
"When I left home in my childhood, I left with a dream that I will live for the countrymen," he said.
Following Modi's assertion at Adilabad rally, BJP president J P Nadda and senior party leaders, including ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sithraman and Anurag Thakur added 'Modi Ka Parivar' to their social media profiles
At the Adilabad rally, Modi said, "leaders of opposition INDI alliance, who are neck-deep in corruption, parivaravad (dynasty) and appeasement are losing their mind."
"Now, they have come out with their real manifesto for the 2024 elections. When I questioned about their parivarvad then they started saying Modi does not have any family," he said.
When he works late into the night and news goes out, 'lakhs' of countrymen write to him not to work so much but to take some rest, he said.
The women, the poor, children and senior citizens and those who have no one, belong to Modi and he belongs to them, the PM said.
That is why crores of people in the country consider him as their own and shower love like their family member, he said.
"That's why I say 140 crore countrymen, they are my family," he said.
Further, attacking "dynasty parties," in the country, the Prime Minister said: "The face of dynasty parties may be different but they have a similar character--jhoot and loot (lies and loot)".
Modi said that while "TRS became BRS," it did not change anything for Telangana and now the Congress was in power in the state, but still nothing is going to happen.
He alleged that BRS did 'scams' like the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project during its tenure and charged the ruling Congress with "sitting on files instead of taking action."
The K Chandrasekhar Rao-founded Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), which ruled the state for about a decade till late 2023, was later rechristened as Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS).
The PM also gave an 'account' of several developmental works launched and initiated in the past 15 days in the country and said this was to further strengthen 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' to 'Viksit Bharat.'
"Is this a festival of development or not," he asked.
He said he had detailed discussions with all his ministers and top officials in New Delhi on Sunday about an action plan for a developed India.
He also talked about various steps taken by his party for the welfare of Adivasis and said the highest priority was being accorded to this.
The "Sammakka-Sarakka" central tribal university to be established in the state was proof of his government's priority for Adivasi welfare, he added.
Further "Modi's Guarantee" of development was now being discussed across the country and the implementation of various initiatives proved that "there is a guarantee that Modi's guarantee will be fulfilled," he said.
He sought the blessings of people of Telangana to make the country on par with the prosperous nations of the world.
Observing that the rally is not not an election meeting as the poll schedule has not been announced, the PM said he has come to celebrate the festival of development with Telangana's brothers and sisters, that is ongoing in the country.
As many as 15 lakh people have given their suggestion for a developed India. There were 3000 meetings on Viksit Bharat and 1200 universities have taken part, Modi said.
Noting that Telangana had its role in the making of golden doors and the pillars in Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said the whole country expresses its gratitude to the people of the state for it.
