Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. File photo
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday accused Pakistan of using terrorism against India as an “instrument of national policy” and said India under the Modi government has sent a clear message to its neighbour that it will eliminate terrorists on its territory.
“Pakistan is a country that has consciously and persistently pursued terrorism as an instrument of national policy,” Puri told reporters here.
“Ever since Modi came to power, those indulging in cross-border terrorism have received the message,” he said.
Puri also blamed the Congress for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
It wasn’t a riot, he said, it was a massacre.
Puri said the Congress was yet to demand a “proper apology” for Operation Blue Star.
Operation Blue Star was a military operation carried out in 1984 to flush out militants from the Golden Temple.
Puri said the country’s economic performance was 11th when Modi came to power in 2014, but “it has now reached fifth place.”
He said the country’s GDP currently stands at $3.95 trillion and will soon overtake Japan, the fourth-largest economy.
He said capital investment in the country was growing by 30 percent annually.
He said the interim budget has earmarked Rs 11 trillion for capital expenditure.
When the Indian National Congress was in power from 2004 to 2014, urban spending was Rs 1.7 trillion, he said, adding that in the last decade of the Modi government, this spending has increased to Rs 18-19 billion.
About Sanjay Tandon, the BJP candidate from Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency, Puri said Chandigarh is a top city not just in India but also in the world and a person of Tandon’s calibre, who is well versed in the ethos and issues of the city, should represent Chandigarh in Parliament.
Tandon will face off against Manish Tewari of the Indian National Congress.
Puri drew a distinction between the BJP’s manifesto and those of other political parties.
He said the difference between the BJP’s manifesto and those of other parties is that “we delivered on what we promised in 2014, 2019 and will continue to deliver on that in 2024,” which is not the case for other parties.
He said the Congress was trying to come to power on a “false narrative” by making promises that could not be delivered.
He said the AAP, which is a member of the India Bloc and is also supporting the Indian National Congress’ Chandigarh candidate, is busy providing “livelis” (free services) to the people in order to come to power.
Puri stressed the importance of a “dual engine” government and urged the people of Chandigarh to vote wisely.
He said with a BJP government at the Centre again, election of a BJP candidate promised to accelerate urban growth through the synergy of a “double engine” government.
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