Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, September 11
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday hit out at critics who argue that the mention of words 'Om' and 'cow' takes India centuries back, saying they are hell-bent on damaging the country.
The Opposition slammed Modi for the remark, asking him to talk about the economy instead and get alarmed when people are killed in the name of the cow.
Speaking in Mathura after inaugurating a bouquet of schemes for the improvement of livestock in the country and helping farmers double their incomes, the Prime Minister said that it was due to this attitude that no comprehensive programme was ever undertaken in mission mode for the improvement of livestock.
“Can one imagine a rural economy, village or family without livestock? They are the valuable basis of a rural economy,"
said Modi.
"But it is unfortunate that in our country the moment the word 'Om' falls on the ears of some people, they get alarmed ('baal khadhe ho jaate hai')," he said, without naming anyone.
"They also get alarmed by the word 'cow'. They feel as if that the country has gone back to the 16th or the 17th century,” he said.
Mocking this “gyan” (wisdom) of the critics, he said such people are hell-bent on damaging the country.
He spoke about the criticism he faced at presenting 250 cows to Rwanda last year.
“What was not reported in India is the innovative scheme being run by Rwanda where the government presents a cow to every family on the undertaking that the first female calf would be returned to the government, which in turn is presented to another family, putting in place a chain which makes every rural family own productive livestock”, said Modi.
Also inaugurating the ‘Swachch hi Sewa’ campaign for banning single use plastic, Modi underlined the correlation between use of plastic and the rampant death of livestock by eating it.
He urged the Braj region—believed to be the land of Krishna—to take the lead in banning single use plastic and save livestock from death, help rejuvenate rivers, lakes and fish and other animals’ lives. He also called upon youth and women groups, SHGs and civil society organisations to help eradicate plastic for a healthy future of the country.
Underlining the importance of the schemes inaugurated, he said that it was a crucial part of his government’s 100-day programme to help farmers double their incomes.
Dwelling upon the significance of the date, September 11, Modi said that it was the day Swami Vivekanand delivered his famous Chicago speech presenting India’s world view on peace and harmony.
“Unfortunately on this day of 9/11 US faced its biggest terrorist attack”, he pointed out.
Describing terrorism as an ideology Modi, he said, without naming Pakistan, that terrorism was “flourishing” in our neighbourhood and that it was being exported to India.
He said that India had shown it was capable of defeating it in the past, and would continue to do so in the future.
He promised to address the twin challenges of pollution and terrorism.
Opposition retorts
New Delhi: The Opposition hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for his remarks that the mention of the word ‘cow’ raises hackles of some people, saying he should talk about the economy instead and be alarmed when people are killed in the name of cow.
The Congress slammed the prime minister for the remarks, alleging that it was an attempt to “divert and digress” from the state of the economy.
“I find him today speaking not on the economy but on ‘cow and Om’. Somebody else speaks on how the Congress is doing. Is that the answer to the economy which I am raising, that is exactly divert, digress—two Ds,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
Speaking in similar vein, CPI general secretary D Raja asked why the prime minister was raising issues of ‘Om’ and ‘cow’ when he should be talking about the state of the economy.
“He is saying this at a time when in the name of cow and God, mob lynchings are happening unabated across the country. He should behave as the PM of this country, must speak on real issues and address unemployment instead of attacking the Opposition,” he told PTI.
Asked about the Prime Minister’s remarks, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi said the people not only hear ‘Om’ and ‘cow’ in India but also the call for prayers from mosques, voices from the Gurdwara and bells from churches.
“You (The PM) should get alarmed when people are being killed in the name of cow. The PM should get alarmed when Constitution is blatantly violated.
“We expect our prime minister to get alarmed that ‘what is happening in my country’ when Tabrez, Pehlu Khan or Akhlaq (alleged victims of lynch mobs) are killed,” he told TV channels. — With PTI inputs
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