NGOs, black-marketers ranged against me: Modi

Bhubaneswar, Feb 21  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that some NGOs and black-marketers were conspiring to defame him and destabilize his government.

He said it does not go down well with some people that a "chai wala" (tea seller) had become the prime minister.

"You would have seen there are attacks on me all the time. They are not able to digest how Modi became the prime minister, how a 'chai wala' became the prime minister," Modi told a farmers' rally here.

His remarks came while he spoke about the black marketing of urea.

In 2014, some chief ministers and MPs wrote to me on urea shortage. It is nore so, he said, ever since neem coated urea was introduced.

"Neem coating of urea causes problem for some, but it will greatly benefit the farmers. What we do troubles some but farmers will benefit," said Modi.

He said some NGOs were against him after they were asked about the financial help received from foreign countries.

"The moment we started asking them about their financial transactions, they united and said 'Modi ko maaro', 'Modi ko maaro'. Modi is seeking accounts from us," he said.

He said the country should know the spending of each paisa the NGOs got from abroad.

He said they had been conspiring to finish off and defame Modi but added they would not succeed.

"We will not allow them to loot the country. That's why we implemented the neem coating urea to stop black marketing and to benefit the famers."

He said his aim was to double the farmers' income by 2022, when the country will celebrate 75 years of independence.

He asked farmers to focus on areas such as fisheries, animal husbandry, honey bee and timber farming to increase income.

Asking the farmers to avail the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, he said the scheme had been a welcome project from all quarters including the opposition.

The prime minister said Odisha had the potential to be the number one in agriculture sector.

"Where will the second Green Revolution start? Have you ever thought it can be from your state, from Odisha?

"Odisha has abundant natural resources, but the people of the state are still poor. I don't know why poverty does not leave the Odisha people."