Modi connects with fishermen on final day of Maha campaign

Seeking to woo the fishermen community in Maharashtra’s tribal region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said those seeking an account of his work in 60 days never bothered about fishermen rotting in Pakistani jails and it was his government which took up the matter. While addressing a rally in the newly created Palghar district of Maharashtra on the final day of campaigning, Modi said the district’s fishermen share a special bond with Gujarat.

"Our fishermen were imprisoned in Pakistan. One of the first things I did after becoming prime minister was to speak with the Pakistan's PM on this issue. I charged them with not only having imprisoned our fishermen but also having captured their boats," said Modi while noting that each boat costs Rs 5-10 lakh.

"So, for the first time in a decade Pakistan has released 50 boats and 200 fishermen from their jails," he added.

The prime minister also spoke about the Kerala nurses caught in the middle of the Iraq crisis and added that he was successful in bringing back the girls from the captivity of terrorists.

“In 2022, when India celebrates 75 years of Independence there should not be a single family which does not have a house of their own. This is my dream,” he said.

"Palghar is the newest district in Maharashtra and it will be my endeavour to make it among the most developed one in the state,” the prime minister said.             

"If people here get access to good rail networks and the youth get jobs nearby, then this area will develop," he said.

"Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi ruled the country. Even Sonia Gandhi ruled it from behind the scenes," he charged.

"But in 50 years did the Congress care for tribals, did it create a separate ministry for tribals? It was the Vajpayee government that created it and appointed a tribal as its minister," Modi said.

Modi said he was confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party would get a majority in the October 15 Maharashtra assembly elections and asked voters to "punish" the Congress and NCP which had "looted" the state.

"With the kind of response I have been witnessing during my rallies in the state, I have no doubt that the BJP will get full majority in Maharashtra. I was chief minister of Gujarat but never dared to hold a public meeting at 9 am and I am amazed at the huge turnout at this rally being held at the same hour," he said.