Sirsi (Karnataka): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday roasted the opposition for their conspicuous absence during the January grand event of "Pran Prathistha" ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya while highlighting the presence of Iqbal Ansari's family at the event, despite their historical involvement in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
Addressing a campaign rally here, Modi underscored the significance of the Ansari family's attendance, despite their previous legal opposition to the construction of the Ram Temple. He emphasised their acceptance of the Supreme Court's verdict on the matter as a testament to unity and reconciliation.
"On one side there are those who in their hunger for vote bank politics disrespected the Ram temple, and on the other side, there is the family of Iqbal Ansari whose entire family fought the case against Ram Temple for three generations but when the Supreme Court's verdict came, he accepted it.
When the trustees of Ram Temple invited the Ansaris, they attended the 'Pran Pratistha'," he said.
The Prime Minister also outlined the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) commitment to the welfare of various communities, including fishermen and tribals.
He announced initiatives such as the establishment of a separate ministry for fishermen, the introduction of specialised financial instruments like Kisan credit cards, and plans for the development of production and processing clusters aimed at supporting the fishing community.
Modi also took a swipe at the Congress, accusing them of neglecting the tribal community during their tenure at the Centre. He contrasted this with the BJP's efforts, citing the establishment of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and a significant increase in the budget allocated for tribal welfare.
"Congress did not establish a separate ministry for the tribals. The BJP government not only established a Ministry of Tribal Affairs but also increased the budget by five times in 10 years. Thanks to the efforts of the BJP government, the tribal community of the country is now exudes new confidence," he said.