Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lashed out at India’s opposition bloc after one of its voters backed nuclear disarmament and said they were unable to protect the country.

Addressing a rally at Pipariya in Hoshangabad Lok Sabha constituency of Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi mocked Rahul Gandhi’s remarks of “eliminating poverty in one fell swoop” and said the country was not taking him seriously.

He also said that the Congress party always insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar but the BJP government respected him.

The prime minister did not name the party but said a member of the Indian bloc was calling for nuclear disarmament – referring to the CPI(M) manifesto.

He asked whether the country needed nuclear weapons in today’s world, especially when its enemies possess such powerful weapons.

“In the manifesto of the INDI alliance partners, several dangerous promises were made. The manifesto of one of the partners said that the country would be denuclearized,” he said.

“We should have nuclear weapons to protect our country. Otherwise, how will they protect India?” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not mention Rahul Gandhi by name but mocked his remarks about “eliminating poverty in one fell swoop”.

He said Congress “shaykhzada” made a statement that people would laugh at, adding that the country did not take him seriously.

His grandmother (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) also used the slogan “Garibi Bodo“People know this,” he said.

“The Congress party has always insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and we pay tribute to him,” Prime Minister Modi said on the birth anniversary of the chief architect of India’s constitution.

He said that due to the constitution framed by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, a tribal woman became the President of India, referring to Drupadi Murmu’s election to the country’s highest constitutional office.

“Today is an important day in history as it is Ambedkar’s birth anniversary lucky. It is because of the Babasaheb Constitution that a daughter of a tribal family has become the President of the country and the son of a poor woman is seeking your votes to serve you for the third time,” PM Modi said.

He said the BJP government had an opportunity to develop the ‘Panch Teerth’ associated with Babasaheb Ambedkar who was born in Mohow, Madhya Pradesh.

“Congress said that if I became prime minister for a third time, the country would be at war,” he said.

“The Confederation of Indian Industry cannot decide in which direction the country should move,” he said, adding that the slogan “againModi Saka” is resonating across the country.

“Modi does not have any dreams. Your dreams are my mission,” he told the rally.

Prime Minister says Congress never recognized Aboriginal people (tribals), but the BJP government respects them.

He said the government will celebrate ‘Janjatiya Gourav Diwas’ in 2025 to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)