“Unfurled Tiranga at Lal Chowk without bulletproof jacket…” Modi recalls Ekta Yatra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked on Wednesday that he had unfurled the Tricolor at Lal Chowk on January 26 “without a bulletproof jacket” despite the terrorists’ threats, recalling his Ekta Yatra to Jammu and Kashmir in 1991. The abrogation of Article 370, according to the prime minister, has brought about calm in Jammu and Kashmir, and tourism is growing at a historically high rate.

“Those (referring to Rahul Gandhi who recently concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra in J-K) who came back from J-K recently must have seen how easily you can go in J-K. I too had gone on a yatra to J&K with the resolve to unfurl the Tricolour at Lal Chowk. Terrorists had put up posters and said, “Dekhte hain, kisne maa ka doodh piya hai jo Lal Chowk aake Tiranga phehra paaye”,” PM Modi said while addressing Lok Sabha during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

“That day on January 24, at a public rally, I had said, “Terrorists pay heed. On January 26, sharp at 11 am, I will reach Lal Chowk without security and a bulletproof jacket. Faisla Lal Chowk pe hoga kisne apni maa ka doodh piya hai”. Then I unfurled the Tricolour at Lal Chowk,” he added.

The Prime Minister appeared to take a shot at the opposition leaders in J-K during the Lok Sabha debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address by claiming that they took part in the Tiranga Yatra (Bharat Jodo Yatra).

“Today there is peace, people can go easily in hundreds in number. J-K has broken various records in the field of tourism after decades. The Festival of democracy is being celebrated in J-K. Today, there is a successful campaign of Har Ghar Tiranga. Some people used to say that there is a danger of disruption in peace due to the Tricolour. Look at the time, even those people participated in the Tiranga Yatra,” he said.

The Prime Minister continued to make fun of the opposition parties by claiming that the Enforcement Directorate was responsible for their cooperation.

“A lot of things were said in the House about the probe agencies. I had thought that the people of the country and the results of the elections would bring such people to one stage. But that did not happen. They should thank ED that due to it they have now come together,” he said.

The Prime Minister cited a Harvard research, stating that its focus was on the “Rise and collapse of India’s Congress Party.”

“Some people here have a craze for Harvard studies. During Covid, it was said that there will be a case study on the devastation in India. Over the years an important study has been done at Harvard and the subject of the study is the ‘Rise and fall of India’s Congress Party’,” he said.

“Those who are drunk in arrogance and think that only they have the knowledge, feel that only by abusing Modi will be a way out…Only through false, nonsensical mudslinging on Modi will a path be paved. It has been 22 years, and they still have a misapprehension,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister went on to say that hard work, not newspaper headlines, was the reason the people trusted him. “Trust in Modi was not born out of newspaper headlines, not through faces on TV. (I have) given my life, every moment of mine for the people of the country, for the glorious future of the country. People’s trust in Modi is beyond their understanding,” he said.

Later that day, the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address was approved by the Lok Sabha.