Punjab polls: Narendra Modi projects Parkash Singh Badal as a farmers’ leader

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday projected Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a farmers’ leader and said that a stable and strong government in the state is linked with the security of the nation as it is a border state.

“Parkash Singh Badal is a farmers’ leader. Even when I was the chief minister of Gujarat, I had noticed that his entire thought was how to bring about betterment of farmers...Can someone tell me who is the farmers’ leader in Congress or the new parties that are coming up? Shiromani Akali Dal is a party that works for farmers,” Modi said at the rally.

Making a pro-farmer pitch, Modi went on to talk about the number of schemes that the union government has launched for farmers including the special insurance scheme for farmers, more water for fields, per drop more crop, micro irrigation schemes, food processing, organic farming etc.

The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by senior Bharatiya Janata Party and SAD leaders, including Badal, also said that the when people of Punjab vote for a new government, it is linked with the fate of not just the state but also the entire country.

“Punjab is a border state. Pakistan always looks for opportunities to destabilise Punjab...If a weak government comes, or government of outsiders comes or those indulging in luxuries come into power, this will be bad for Punjab and the country,” he said.

He also attacked other political parties for saying that “all youths of Punjab” are drug addicts. “Today they have said that every youth here is a drug addict. Now tell me, each time a youth from Punjab goes to ask for a job, people will think he is a drug addict. Politics is one thing but this is very wrong,” he added.