Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took aim at the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, accusing the parties of "stalling" the work of the Noida International Airport, and contrasted the situation with the "double-engine BJP government", under which, he said, the city is becoming a "strong engine" of Uttar Pradesh's development.
PM Modi made these remarks after inaugurating Phase 1 of Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh's Jewar. "Earlier, the Samajwadi Party had turned Noida into an ATM of looting. But today, under the BJP government, the same Noida is becoming a strong engine of Uttar Pradesh's development," the Prime Minister said, addressing a large public gathering in Jewar.
PM Modi called the Jewar Airport a "very good example of the work culture of a double‑engine government". "This airport was approved on file during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2003. Since then, many children born after that would now be adults, and many people who were in their 20s or 30s at that time are retired today -- yet the airport was not built," he said.
"For years, when the Congress was in power at the Centre and earlier governments were in power here, even laying the foundation stone of this airport was not allowed. From 2004 to 2014, this airport remained buried in files. When our government came to power at the Centre, Uttar Pradesh still had a Samajwadi Party government, which did not allow work on this project during the initial two to three years," he further said.
However, the Prime Minister said, "As soon as BJP‑led governments were formed both in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre, the foundation stone of the Jewar Airport was laid, construction began, and today, it has been completed and inaugurated."
He also mentioned the 'Noida Jinx' -- a political superstition suggesting that any sitting Chief Minister who visits the city will lose their power and fail to return for a consecutive term. "Earlier, due to superstition, Noida was ignored by the previous governments. When I had planned to visit Nodia during the then SP government's tenure, the CM was so scared that he did not attend the event.
Some people even warned me against it, but I told them that I was going to take the blessings of this land that would give me the opportunity to serve for a long time. Now, the very place is ready to welcome the entire world. This is strengthening the vision of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'," he said.