Referring to Pakistan's high inflation rate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the nation which was a supplier of 'Aatank' (Terrorism) is now struggling to get 'Aata' (Wheat Flour)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, said that as India surges ahead as the world's fastest-developing nation, "one of our neighbours, which was a supplier of "Aatank" (terrorism), is now struggling to procure "Atta" (Wheat Flour)", hinting at Pakistan where inflation rate is as high as 20 per cent, according to a report in The Times of India (TOI).

During an election rally in Damoh in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said that with "clouds of war" spreading across the world, "India needs a government that can work on a war footing and protect the country under all circumstances, and this work can be done by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government which returns to office with an absolute majority".

TOI reported that while talking about India's move to disregard international pressure and buying oil from Russia after the latter's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, PM Modi said, "Our principal is nation first."

The prime minister said, “We took this decision in the national interest to ensure that people of our country get cheap oil and farmers get adequate fertilisers. Today, our country has a government that neither comes under pressure nor bows before anyone.”

PM Modi, during the rally, said that the Congress party had kept the defence sector weak for decades. “The entire country has seen how they [INDIA bloc] deployed their whole strength so that our Air Force was not strengthened and Rafale fighter jets did not come to the country. Had the Congress government been there, Indian-made Tejas fighter planes would not have soared into the skies,” he said.

He further said that this year, India has sold arms worth ₹21,000 crore to other nations. "At this moment, the first consignment of BrahMos is going to the Philippines today. I congratulate all citizens for this.” the PM said, the TOI report said.

Attacking the Opposition leaders, PM Modi said that these leaders have “only cheated Dalits and OBC in the name of social justice”.

Talking about the alliance of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the prime minister said, “Two "Shehzadas" are busy shooting a film which has already been rejected in Uttar Pradesh.”

(With Input From Agencies)