Fire raging in my heart too: PM Modi on Pulwama attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday asserted that he was filled with grief and outrage, just like the people of the country, in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pulwama which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel.

In the town of Barauni in Bihar to launch a number of development projects, Modi began his speech with a few lines in the local dialect ‘Angika’ before paying tributes to two of the slain jawans who hailed from the state.

“I salute and pay my tributes to Sanjay Kumar Sinha and Ratan Kumar Thakur,” the prime minister said.

The two martyred CRPF personnel hailed from Patna and Bhagalpur districts, respectively.

“I condole the bereaved families. And to the large number of people who have gathered here, I would like to say the fire that is raging in your bosoms, is in my heart as well,” Modi said, evoking a thunderous response from the crowd.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi also expressed hopes of a strong response from India in the wake of the Pulwama attack.

After the evocative beginning, the prime minister concentrated his nearly 30-minute speech on various projects, worth more than Rs 33,000 crore, which were launched at the function.

Modi explained how each of these projects will bring all-round development in the lives of people. He said the National Democratic Alliance’s strategy of development was two-pronged -- one was development of infrastructure and the other uplift of deprived sections of society.

He said all this has been possible because you had elected a strong and stable government which can take quick decisions, work on them and translate them into reality on the ground.

He also mentioned the scheme for giving Rs 6,000 to poor farmers and said it would bring significant change in the lives of people.

On the 10-per cent reservation in jobs and education to the poor from the general category, he said this was being done without affecting the existing quotas of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes.

In his speech, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Begusarai-Barauni area had been developed as an industrial hub under the guidance of Bihar’s first Chief Minister Shri Krishna Sinha and it was heartening to see that renewed efforts were being made to restore and further develop its pre-eminence in the economic life of the state.

At the Barauni programme, the dignitaries present included Governor Lalji Tandon, Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan, Ram Kripal Yadav and Giriraj Singh.