Narendra Modi`s `Vijay Shankhnaad` rally: As it happened

BJP`s `Vijay Shankhnaad` rally in Meerut: Modi attacks Sonia, `samajvirodhi party`

Zee Media Bureau/Hemant Abhishek 3.19 pm: Narendra Modi concludes speech with chants of `Vande Mataram`. 3.15 pm: Modi asks Meerut to respond to slogans of “for the respect of women, for upliftment of poor," with chants of "vote for India". 3.13 pm: “Enough of vote-bank politics and spreading poison. Need of hour is to embrace development politics," says Modi. 3.12 pm: When new states were created in 2000 everyone was celebrating. But see what those who spread poison did in Andhra Pradesh: Narendra Modi. 3.11 pm: “Congress is a divisive party. They believe in divide and rule, they believe in votebank politics, of making communities fight," says the Gujarat CM.

3.10 pm: Who stayed in power for the longest time after Independence? If power is poison who has tasted this poison most: Narendra Modi. 3.10 pm: Sonia ji says people are doing `zeher ki kheti`. Do you recall when Rahul Gandhi was told power is poison: Narendra Modi. 3.08 pm: “We need to see Delhi as a Global City but due to the incidents that have happened in the past few days, our heads hang in shame. A few days ago women from Africa were ill treated, a boy from Arunachal was killed. This does not augur well,” says Modi. 3.07 pm: “People of Arunachal are fighting China and they greet each other by saying Jai Hind,” says Modi. 3.06 pm: It is sad how the son of a north-eastern state was killed in Delhi: Narendra Modi. 3.02 pm: “They are not looking for ways of development but for ways to fill their own pockets,” says Modi. 3.01 pm: Where is the money going? The people of UP want answers. Pockets of leaders are being filled but people are unhappy: Narendra Modi 3.00 pm: Two days back Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) said UP`s budget for `lok kalyan` is more than Gujarat`s entire Budget. But, why are people unhappy here: Narendra Modi. 2.59 pm: “BJP believes in peace, unity, brotherhood and sadbhavana. We assure you a riot free Uttar Pradesh,” says Modi. 2.57 pm: “ Gujarat is free of riots. Do you want to make Uttar Pradesh free of riots,” aks Modi and gets a loud “haan (yes) from the Meerut janta. 2.56 pm: People of Gujarat have decided they don`t want vote bank politics, they want peace and unity :Narendra Modi 2.55 pm: Challenge Mulayam Singh Yadav & Akhilesh Yadav,if you want to compete with me,then do it by improving the law & order situation here :Narendra Modi 2.54 pm: Politics is ok Mulayam Singh ji, Akhilesh ji but please protect the women of the state :Narendra Modi 2.53 pm: “Are your daughters, sisters safe in UP?” asks Narendra Modi, evoking a loud “no” from the crowd. 2.53 pm: This is not Samajwadi Party, but `samaj virodhi party` :Narendra Modi 2.51 pm: Raising the issue of the sugar cane farmers, Modi says, “Farmers are saying, we wish Chaudhary Charan Singh and Mahendra Singh Tikait were alive today. Those who believe in Ram Manohar Lohia are not bothered about farmers of a state that gave us Chaudhary Charan Singh.” 2.50 pm: A Minister is from your neighbouring area but there is no airport here. Atal ji planned express highway but that also is not happening now : Narendra Modi. 2.50 pm: Colonial rulers were angry after 1857 and viewed Meerut as an enemy. Here Railway facilities were denied by the British. All over the country there are railways but not in Meerut. The British may have ignored, but why is the Indian govt ignoring it? : Narendra Modi. 2.46 pm: In UP, news is not that electricity has been cut but that electricity is there : Narendra Modi. 2.45 pm: Do you get continuous electricity here in Meerut. If they cannot give you power, what can they give you: Narendra Modi. 2.44 pm: Modi asks `do you get 24 hours electricity?` evoking a loud `no` from the crowd. 2.43 pm: Meerut is one of the fastest growing cities of India. Population is growing but there is no development :Narendra Modi 2.41 pm: I have a direct connect with this region because this was the `karmabhoomi` of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who is revered :Narendra Modi 2.39 pm: They (Congress) forgot to honour this story of sacrifice and valour (1857) :Narendra Modi 2.38 pm: The event marking 150 years of 1857 was made a damp squib, because if people hear of the first war of independence they`ll see Congress`s antics and reject it :Narendra Modi 2.37 pm: We need the `lotus` to give roti in homes of poor :Narendra Modi 2.37 pm: Meerut is the land of inspiration for its 1857 revolt against the British. The first war of independence of 1857 is 150 years old, but once again we have to fight a war for roti :Narendra Modi 2.35 pm: Crowd erupts as Narendra Modi says it was a sea of `saffron` as they looked from the helicopter. 2.30 pm: Narendra Modi begins his speech. 2.17 pm: Singh evokes farmers and their leaders Chaudhary Charan Singh and Mahendra Singh Tikait, and says, “When BJP forms the government and Modi ji becomes PM, we will take all steps for welfare of our farmers.” 2.16 pm: Rajnath Singh blames the SP government for Muzaffarnagar riots. 2.14 pm: Attacking the Samajwadi Party government of Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath says, “We can see the law and order in the state. Criminals`hands are being strengthened, women are not safe.” 2.13 pm: “We see everyone as equal. If any section of the society is left out, we can not create the India of our dreams," says the BJP president. 2.12 pm: Riots happened in 1984 and the one responsible for it must apologise, it is the Congress party: Rajnath Singh 2.06 pm: Seeing the sight here, I can say Western UP has decided that they want Congress to leave Delhi and want BJP to lead, says Singh. 2.06 pm: "It was the people of Meerut who gave the clarion call for the British to leave India," says the BJP president. 2.05 pm: We have been reading about this land from the Ramayana and the Mahabharat: Rajnath Singh 2.00 pm: BJP president Rajnath Singh and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi have arrived on the dais. Security personnel have laid a virtual siege to Meerut as over 1.5 lakh people are expected to turn-up as Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial Narendra Modi `Vijay Shankhnaad` rally here on Sunday. The Gujarat CM`s presence is seen as BJP`s attempt to reach out to voters of the Jat community in the area. Also significant is the rally as crowds look forward to Modi`s response to Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s `zeher ki kheti` barb in Karnataka`s Gulbarga on Saturday.