Junagadh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed those who constantly `abuse and insult’ Gujarat and asked people to teach them a lesson.
Without naming anyone, he urged the people of the state, where Assembly elections are due by December end, to stay away from “pessimists” and those who “dish out lies”.
Modi was speaking at a rally in Junagadh city in Saurashtra region after launching development works worth Rs 4,155 crore.
“If anybody from India achieves something or is successful in something, as an Indian you will be filled with pride or not? If scientists from South India become successful in ISRO you will be happy or not? If a youth from Haryana bags a gold medal in the Olympics, you will be happy or not?” Modi asked the crowd.
“Of course, any Indian will be happy with the achievements of any other Indian living anywhere in the country,” he added.
“For the last two decades, we have seen that people with distorted mentality do not like it whenever something good happens for Gujarat or a Gujarati achieves something. They insult Gujarat and abuse Gujarati people,” the prime minister went on to say.
Some political parties believe that “their ideology is incomplete” if they did not abuse Gujarat and Gujarati people, he further said.
“Don’t you think time has come to teach a lesson to those who abuse and insult Gujarat and its people day and night? Should we tolerate those who defame Gujarat?” Modi further said.
People of any state must not be subjected to abuse and insult, he added.
“We all must work to maintain the spirit of `Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ People of Gujarat need to remain wary of pessimists as well as those who dish out lies,” Modi added.
His comments came days after a video of Gujarat AAP president Gopal Italia purportedly mocking Modi’s mother was released by the ruling BJP. In the past, the prime minister had also lashed out at Congress leaders for targeting him. During the day, Modi laid the foundation stone for a project for the improvement of a coastal highway and construction of missing link roads. The first phase of the highway project, which will connect Umargam in Valsad with Lakhpat in Kutch district, will cover a distance of more than 270 km across 13 districts.
The PM also laid foundation stone for two water supply projects and construction of a godown complex for agricultural products.
He also laid the foundation stone for a project for holistic development of the famous Shri Krishna Rukshamani Temple in Madhavpur village of neighbouring Porbandar district and launched maintenance dredging work at Porbandar Fishery Harbour.
Foundation stones were also laid for the development of a fishing port at Madhwad in Gir Somnath district.
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