Honouring Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna akin to giving respect to farmers and labourers: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that honouring the "messiah of farmers" and "UP's son" Chaudhary Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna was akin to honouring crores of farmers and labourers.

Attacking Congress, Modi said the party was not keen on showing reverence to the poor, Dalits and the Backward community which is why it created hurdles when discussions were held in Parliament over the award to the former PM.

Modi was speaking at the UP government's 'Ground Breaking Ceremony' in Lucknow, held to launch 14,000 investment proposals worth approximately ₹10 lakh crore, intents for which were received in the investors summit last year.


Modi's remarks also came against the backdrop of the ongoing farmers' protests against the central government.

Modi's address to a gathering of businessmen at the event was broadcast in each of the 403 UP assembly seats, he said.

"Congress thinks only one family has the claim over Bharat Ratna which is why the party for decades didn't even give Bharat Ratna to Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They kept giving Bharat Ratna to people of their own family. Actually, Congress is not keen on honouring the poor, Dalits, Backwards and farmers. In Chaudhary Charan Singh's lifespan also, Congress tried to make a deal with him, however, Chaudhary sahab sacrificed the PM's chair but didn't compromise on his principles. He hated political deal making. But what is sad is that many parties of UP who did politics in his name never adhered to what he said. What he did for small farmers, the country can never forget. Today inspired by him, we are continuously empowering the farmers," Modi said.

About UP emerging as an attractive business destination, the PM said 7-8 years ago, only crime and riots dominated headlines from UP and at that time, any talk of making the state developed would not even be heard, let alone believed. But today, lakhs of crores of investment is being made in the state.