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Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he declined an invitation from US President Donald Trump to visit Washington, and instead chose to come to Odisha, the sacred land of Lord Jagannath.

The Prime Minister was addressing a rally marking the first anniversary of Odisha’s maiden BJP government. He also launched a scathing attack on the Congress and accused the opposition party of using tribals for political gains, keeping them backward by branding their habitation as ‘red corridor’.

Modi, who recently returned to Delhi after concluding his three-nation tour, recalled how he preferred Odisha visit than a call from Washington.

“I was in Canada for the G7 Summit when US President Trump called me up and invited me to Washington for a discussion and lunch. I thanked him for the invitation, saying I have to visit Odisha, the land of Lord Jagannath. I humbly rejected his invitation,” he said.

The Prime Minister had on Tuesday declined Trump’s US visit invitation while returning from Canada, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said on the Modi-Trump phone call.

Modi said he could not accept the invitation due to a pre-existing schedule, and invited Trump to visit India for the Quad Summit, likely later this year. The two leaders were scheduled to meet in Canada on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. However, the US President left the meeting midway amidst rising hostilities between Israel and Iran.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the BJP government headed by a tribal chief minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, launched development projects worth over Rs 18,600 crore.

He said the saffron party fulfilled the long-awaited demands of the people as the four gates of Puri Jagannath temple and its ‘Ratna Bhandar’ (treasury) have been reopened.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Modi accused the opposition party of deliberately keeping tribal communities underdeveloped and branding their regions as the ‘red corridor’ for political gains.

“The party which ruled India for decades had neglected the tribal community and used them merely for political benefits,” he said in an apparent reference to the Congress.

He alleged that tribal-dominated regions were “intentionally left backward” during the previous regimes.

“Over 125 tribal-dominated districts in the country were affected by Maoists for years. These areas were given a bad name like ‘red corridor’. Most of these districts were declared backward, and the then governments did not take the responsibility to develop them,” Modi said.

On the other hand, Modi said that his government since some years has freed the tribal society from violence and showed them the path to development.

“The BJP government took stern action against those spreading violence and at the same time ensured uninterrupted development in tribal areas,” he said, adding that it has given dividends for which the Naxal violence is grossly contained.

“The Naxal violence is now confined to 20 districts in the country. The pace at which the actions are being taken against the Naxalites, the tribal community will soon get rid of violence. Naxalism will be eradicated from the country and this is Modi’s guarantee,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the BJP government’s priority is to fulfil the dreams of tribals, ease their lives and giving them new opportunities in life.

Stating that the Centre is spending more than Rs 1 lakh crore for tribal development, the Prime Minister said that the Union government has launched two major schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, named after the tribal icon Birsa Munda.

He said developmental works are being carried out in more than 60,000 tribal villages, including those in Odisha. The tribal villages are being provided with roads, electricity, drinking water and other facilities. As many as 40 residential schools for tribal students are under construction.

Prime Minister Modi noted that President Droupadi Murmu’s guidance was the inspiration for launching of the PM-JANMAN scheme.

Referring to the fishing community, the Prime Minister announced that the central government is setting up a special fund of Rs 25,000 crore, which will greatly benefit those living along Odisha’s coastline and generate opportunities for the youth.

He said that for the first time, a major nationwide scheme — PM Matsya Sampada Yojana — has been formulated for the welfare of fishermen. The fishermen are now receiving the benefit of the Kisan Credit Card facility as well, he said.

Modi, who completed first year of his third term in office on June 9, said that obstructing developmental projects and indulging in corruption, were the “model” of the previous Congress governments.

However, the entire country has been witnessing the development model of the BJP, he said.

The PM said that Odisha too had been grappling with numerous challenges for decades when the poor and farmers were not getting their due rights as corruption and red-tapism were dominant, and infrastructure across the state was in a dire condition.

“Such challenges had become the unfortunate reality of Odisha. Over the past year, the BJP government has worked with full resolve to address these issues and this has been possible due to double-engine government (BJP government in both state and Centre). The double-engine government has given double benefit to Odisha,” Modi said.