Rewari: Narendra Modi made his first pitch for a Delhi posting after being named the BJP's presumptive Prime Minister for 2014, attacking the Congress-led UPA over repeated incursions by China and Pakistan's attacks on Indian soldiers along the Line of Control.
"Pakistan is waging a proxy war against us and China is threatening our borders. The problem is not on the border, it is in New Delhi. If the government is strong, neither China nor Pakistan can threaten us. The call for change is coming from this rally ground in Haryana." The meeting was attended by former army chief VK Singh along with a number of retired senior military officers. Modi also lauded the scientists for successful launch of Agni V.
Saluting the Indian soldiers, Modi said it was his childhood dream to attend an army school which he could not realise due to penury. "I was not aware that such a huge announcement would be made on September 13. It is God's wish that this is the first rally I am attending after my elevation. It is for the first time that I have stood before so many ex-soldiers and I can say it as thrilling to be among you as being named as the BJP's PM candidate."
Bringing up the Poonch attack at LoC in which five Indian jawans were killed by the Pakistan Army, he slammed defence minister AK Antony for his first statement in Parliament."Even as our soldiers were helping the people in Uttarakhand, Pakistan was killing them across the border. However, our defence minister said that they were not Pakistani soldiers but terrorists dressed in Pakistan uniform. If you don't want to shed tears for our dead, at least don't mock them."
Politicians should learn a lesson in secularism from the armed forces, said the Gujarat Chief Minister, whose detractors often question his secular credentials. "Vote bank politics in India has become disgusting. I would like to tell the politicians who want to divide India into small groups... there is no bigger example of secularism than the armed forces," he said.
Terming Maoism and terrorism the biggest challenges that India faces today, Modi said, "Pakistan now has a democratic government but it does not seem it wants peace. I want to clearly state that whether it is Pakistan or Bangladesh or India, we need to fight poverty and inequality. Cross-border terrorism is not going to help anyone. Pakistan may have been formed because of anti-India policies but it cannot progress with that attitude."
