Mandi (HP): Launching a blistering attack on the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the party has not only been “against national security” but also the development of the country.

Congress has not just been against national security, but also the development of the country

Addressing his first election rally in Himachal`s Mandi, Prime Minister raised the issue of defence deals during the Congress regime at the Centre and said that the party always “wanted a commission” in every deal which led to the delay in the procurement of weapons for the armed forces.

“After independence, the first scam of the country was done by the Congress in the defence sector itself. Since then, till the Congress government was in place, it took a lot of brokerage in defence deals. Congress never wanted the country to become self-reliant in terms of defence equipment. It wanted a commission in every defence deal and wanted to fill its own leaders` coffers. This is why the procurement of weapons was delayed,” said the prime minister.

He said that India is running a campaign to become Aatmanirbhar.”Congress put numerous lives in danger due to compromised defence deals. I won`t let this injustice happen to the mothers and daughters of Himachal. This is why India is running a campaign to become Aatmanirbhar and stressing on manufacturing its own weapons.

Congress has not just been against national security, but also the development of the country. I have felt it as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a number of years,” said Modi.

He said that making “false promises” and giving “false guarantees” has been an old trick of Congress while accusing the party of not giving priority to the development of Himachal.

“Congress never gave priority to the development of Himachal. Congress did not fulfil a single promise they mentioned in the 2012 elections manifesto. BJP has fulfilled its promises made to the people. BJP had resolved to scrap Article 370 from J-K, and we fulfilled it. The BJP had resolved to make Ram Mandir. The decision was taken in Palampur in the working committee. Is Ram Mandir being constructed or not?” PM Modi asked.

Terming the Assembly elections that are slated to be held in the state on November 12 as “important”, the Prime Minister said that the vote cast in this poll will decide the “development journey of the state for the next 25 years.