I greet the participants from across the country—our respected brothers and sisters! Jai Sevalal! Jai Sevalal!
Governor of Maharashtra, C.P. Radhakrishnan ji, the popular Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde ji, my colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajeev Ranjan Singh, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, other ministers of the central and state governments, Members of Parliament, legislators, my brothers and sisters from the Banjara community who have come from far and wide, farmer brothers and sisters from across the country, and all other esteemed dignitaries, my brothers and sisters of Maharashtra, I bow in reverence from this sacred land of Washim to Goddess Pohradevi. During Navratri, I had the honour of receiving blessings from Mother Jagdamba today. I also visited the samadhi of Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj and took their blessings. I bow my head and pay respects to these two great saints from this platform.
Today also marks the birth anniversary of the great warrior and queen of Gondwana, Rani Durgavati ji. Last year, the nation celebrated her 500th birth anniversary. I pay my respects to Rani Durgavati as well.
Friends,
Today, voting is also taking place in Haryana. I appeal to all patriotic people of Haryana to vote in large numbers. Your vote will take Haryana to new heights of development.
Friends,
During this holy period of Navratri, I had the opportunity to release the 18th instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. Today, 20,000 crore rupees have been transferred to the accounts of 9.5 crore farmers across the country. Maharashtra’s double-engine government is giving double benefits to the farmers here. More than 90 lakh farmers in Maharashtra have been given approximately 1,900 crore rupees under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana. Several projects worth hundreds of crore of rupees related to agriculture, animal husbandry, and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) have also been dedicated to the public today. With the blessings of Pohradevi, I have had the honour of providing assistance to the beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna Yojana, which is empowering women. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the brothers and sisters of Maharashtra and all farmer brothers and sisters across the country.
Friends,
Before coming here, I had the privilege of inaugurating the Banjara Virasat (Heritage) Museum at Pohradevi. This museum will introduce the great Banjara culture, such a vast heritage, and such an ancient tradition to future generations. And I urge all of you, including those sitting on the stage, to visit this Banjara Virasat Museum before leaving. I congratulate Devendra ji. The concept that was formed during his first government has now been executed beautifully. I feel great satisfaction and joy after seeing it today. I urge you to visit it, and later, make sure your families visit it as well. I also met some esteemed members of the Banjara community at Pohradevi. Their faces were lit with pride and satisfaction from the recognition their heritage has gained through this museum. I congratulate all of you on the Banjara Virasat Museum.
Friends,
Modi worships those who were ignored by others. Our Banjara community has played a significant role in the social life of Bharat and in Bharat’s journey of nation-building. The great individuals from this community have contributed immensely to the country in the fields of art, culture, spirituality, national defence, and trade. King Lakhi Shah Banjara endured so many atrocities by foreign rulers! He dedicated his life to the service of society! Our Banjara community has produced numerous saints, including Sant Sevalal Maharaj, Swami Hathiram ji, Sant Ishwar Singh Bapu ji, Sant Dr. Ramrao Bapu Maharaj, Sant Laxman Chaitnya Bapu ji, who have given boundless energy to Bharat’s spiritual consciousness. For several generations, hundreds and thousands of years, this community has preserved and nurtured Bharat’s culture and traditions. During the freedom struggle, the British government even declared this entire community as criminals.
But brothers and sisters,
After independence, it was the nation’s responsibility to care for the Banjara community and give them the respect they deserve! And what did the Congress governments of that time do? Congress policies kept this community disconnected from the mainstream. After independence, the Congress Party, under the control of a particular family, had a foreign mindset from the beginning. Like the British rulers, this Congress family also never considered Dalits, backward classes, or tribals as equals. They believed that one family should continue to rule Bharat because the British had given them this right! That’s why they always maintained a disrespectful attitude towards the Banjara community.
Friends,
It is the NDA government at the Centre that established the Welfare Board for the nomadic and semi-nomadic communities. The BJP and NDA governments have been continuously working to ensure that this community’s cultural identity is properly respected. The state government has also launched the Sant Sevalal Maharaj Banjara Tanda Samridhi Abhiyan to accelerate development.
Friends,
Amidst our efforts, you must remember the attitude Congress and the Maha Aghadi had towards you. When Fadnavis ji became the Chief Minister, the plan for the development of Pohradevi pilgrimage site was formulated. But when the Maha Aghadi government came to power, they put a halt to the work. The development of the Pohradevi pilgrimage site resumed only when the Mahayuti government, under Shinde ji's leadership, came back to power. Today, 700 crore rupees are being spent on this project. The development of this pilgrimage site will not only facilitate the devotees but also accelerate development in the surrounding areas.
Brothers and sisters,
The BJP, through its policies, aims to uplift the deprived sections of society, while Congress only knows how to exploit them. Congress wants to keep the poor in poverty. A weak and poor Bharat suits Congress and its politics very well. That’s why you all need to be very cautious of Congress. Today, Congress is being run by a gang of urban Naxals. Congress feels that if everyone unites, their agenda of dividing the country will fail! That’s why they want to create a rift among us. The entire country can see who is supporting Congress’s dangerous agendas! Those who want to stop Bharat from progressing are Congress’s closest friends these days! Therefore, this is the time to unite. Our unity alone will save the country.
Brothers and sisters,
I want to tell the people of Maharashtra about another misdeed of Congress. You must have seen in the news that drugs worth thousands of crores were recently seized in Delhi. And see the sad part—who turned out to be the main mastermind of this drug racket? A Congress leader turned out to be the main mastermind! Congress wants to push the youth into drug addiction and use that money to fight and win elections. We need to be alert to this danger and warn others as well. Together, we must win this battle.
Friends,
Today, every decision and every policy of our government is dedicated to a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). And a strong foundation for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ is our farmers. Several major steps have been taken today towards empowering farmers. Today, 9,200 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been dedicated to the nation. Also, many infrastructure projects related to agriculture have been inaugurated, which will enhance the capacity for storage, processing, and management of agricultural products. These efforts will help increase farmers' income. Farmers in Maharashtra are receiving double benefits under the NDA government. Eknath Shinde ji’s government has even made farmers’ electricity bills zero. For our farmers here, they receive electricity bills that have zero written on them, isn’t that right?
Friends,
The farmers of Maharashtra, especially in Vidarbha, have faced significant crises for decades. The governments of Congress and their allies left no stone unturned in keeping farmers in misery and poverty. While the Maha Aghadi government was in power here, they had only two agendas. First—to halt all projects related to farmers. Second—to engage in corruption with the money allocated for these projects! We sent money from the central government to help Maharashtra's farmers, but the Maha Aghadi government would embezzle and divide it among themselves. The Congress has always made farmers' lives difficult. Even today, the Congress is playing the same old game. That’s why the Congress does not like the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana! The Congress mocks this scheme and opposes the money going to farmers! Because the money going into farmers' accounts takes away their opportunity to engage in corruption. Look at the neighbouring state of Karnataka! Just as Maharashtra's Mahayuti government provides extra money to farmers along with the Kisan Samman Nidhi, the BJP government in Karnataka used to do the same. Many Banjara families from Karnataka are here today. But as soon as the Congress came to power in Karnataka, they stopped giving that money. They also turned away from many irrigation projects in the state. The Congress even increased the prices of seeds in Karnataka. Making false promises of loan waivers before every election is Congress’s favourite tactic! In Telangana, they came to power by promising loan waivers! But after so much time has passed since forming the government, farmers are now asking why their loans haven’t been waived.
Brothers and sisters,
We must not forget how the Congress and the Maha Aghadi government in Maharashtra halted so many irrigation-related projects! When the NDA government came to power, it accelerated work in this direction. The Maharashtra government has approved the project to link the Wainganga and Nalganga rivers. This 90,000 crore rupee project will help alleviate the water shortage in Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Nagpur, and Wardha. The Maharashtra government is also providing financial assistance to cotton and soybean farmers. Farmers are receiving 10,000 rupees each in their accounts for cotton and soybean cultivation. Recently, the foundation for the Amravati Textile Park was also laid. This park will greatly help cotton farmers.
Friends,
Our Maharashtra has immense potential to lead the country’s economic progress. This will only happen when the mission to uplift villages, the poor, farmers, labourers, Dalits, and the deprived continues strongly. I am confident that you all will continue to give us your blessings. Together, we will fulfil the dream of a ‘Viksit Maharashtra, Viksit Bharat’ (Developed Maharashtra and Developed India). With this hope, I once again extend my heartfelt congratulations to our farmer friends and all my brothers and sisters from the Banjara community. Join me in saying, Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
Thank you very much.
