Bhubaneswar:

Slamming opposition parties for propaganda against the BJP-led NDA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that they have “crushed” the spirit of the Constitution and rejected all norms of democracy. PM Modi, addressing party workers in Bhubaneswar, also said that the opposition has only one aim, “to somehow capture power by misleading people”.

“Those who consider power as their birthright have not been in power at the Centre for the last decade,” he said in an apparent dig at the opposition.

The prime minister said it is quite natural that there would be ideological differences among political parties on different issues, and that they have the right to express their views and resort to agitations.

“During my tenure as Chief Minister and PM, I saw different colours of politics. I admit that a constructive opposition is normal in a democracy. There can be differences of opinion on any decision,” he said.

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PM Modi said everyone, however, can now feel a big difference in the manner protests are organised. “The spirit of the Constitution is crushed and all the norms of democracy are rejected.” The PM said that from the very beginning, the opposition parties were not ready to accept the fact that people gave their mandate to the BJP-led NDA.

“Denied of power for the last decade, such parties are now filled with so much anger that they do not hesitate to conspire against the country and its people. They are misleading people with ‘jhoot aur afwah ki dukan‘ (lies and rumours),” he said.

PM Modi noted that such false propaganda is a big challenge for people of India, and BJP workers and “those who love the country and respect the Constitution should be more alert and vigilant to foil such attempts and expose the lies”.

He also said the BJP dedicatedly worked for the development of Odisha even when the party was not in power in the eastern state.

“The Odisha poll results surprised many big political experts, who had completely rejected the idea of BJP forming government in the state… BJP’s election success in Odisha, Haryana, and Maharashtra has created a new confidence in the entire country. This is the specialty of BJP and the capability of our workers,” asserted PM Modi.

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The BJP respects and gives priority to the rich culture and tradition of Odisha, he said.

“I am happy that due to the efforts of the BJP, Odisha’s tribal daughter Droupadi Murmu ji is the President of the country today. This has boosted the confidence of daughters from all sections of society. Her journey will inspire many generations to come,” the PM said.

On the All India DGP/IGP Conference that got underway in Bhubaneswar, he said it is being held in Odisha for the first time, though the event has been taking place since the British period.

“We want to give priority to Odisha not only in the country but also on the world map,” he said, adding that after the BJP formed government in the state, it has implemented the National Education Policy and other central schemes.

Besides, ‘Operation Demonstration, 2024′ will be organised in Puri on the occasion of Navy Day on December 4, and the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ in Bhubaneswar from January 8-10.

PM Modi said the BJP government has also started fulfilling the promises made during the election.

“The state has launched the ‘Subhadra Yojana’, which will be a symbol of women empowerment. Under the scheme, the government promises to provide Rs 50,000 to one crore women in five years. Similarly, the government has started procuring paddy at a price of Rs 3,100 per quintal as was promised,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)