Express News Service
LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon the voters of Uttar Pradesh to support a riot-free and peaceful state, criminals behind the bars, and security for women.
Modi was addressing a rally in Saharanpur, the western tip of UP, while the first phase of voting was on over 58 seats across 11 western UP districts including those adjoining Saharanpur like Shamli and Muzaffarnagar. In all, the fate of 623 candidates was at stake in the first phase of voting.
Saharanpur will go to the polls in the second phase on February 14 when the voting would be held in 55 seats across nine districts of western UP.
The PM stressed that the BJP government was essential for Uttar Pradesh to maintain a secured atmosphere for the women to grow without fear. He said that all the sectors were being opened for them. Modi also raised the issue of triple talaq where Muslims make up around 42 per cent of the population.
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Amid the raging row over hijab in BJP ruled Karnataka, the PM pitched in favour of Muslim women saying the BJP government freed them from the clutches of atrocities in the name of triple talaq by bringing a law against the practice. “When Muslim women started openly supporting Modi government, opponents and self-acclaimed saviors of religion got anxious and started suppressing the voice of Muslim women. But we stand with every Muslim woman.”
The PM launched an attack on SP-RLD alliance leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhury for their “arrogance” and said the fate of their alliance will be like that of the SP-Congress alliance in 2017.
The PM harped on Muzaffarnagar’s riot rhetoric of the BJP and reminded people of the Saharanpur Muslim-Sikh riots of 2014. He urged the people to vote for peace and security which, he claimed, would take the state on the path of development. The PM repeated the ‘pariwarwadi’ (dynastic politics) jibe on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. “Those who are limited to safeguard the interest of their family will not go beyond it again if given a chance,” said Modi. He cited the example of how round-the-clock power supply and infrastructural development were limited to a few native districts of those who were at the helm in the previous government.
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“Had they been in power during the pandemic, the vaccines would have been sold off somewhere on the way and would not have reached you,” he added. PM claimed that big promises made were usually empty. They (previous governments) promised electricity but kept UP in dark,” he maintained. “What is the harm in making promises as they know that they would not come to power so the question of fulfillment does not arise,” quipped the PM while taking a jibe of opposition for offering freebies.
Reiterating the BJP tagline of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, the PM claimed that the benefits of the welfare schemes were extended to all sections of society equally in the BJP rule. He reached out to the farmers especially the cane growers promising them that their interests would be taken care of in the future as well. He claimed that the BJP government was necessary for UP to ensure the poor continue to get houses and free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at good hospitals.
“For money to continue to reach farmers’ accounts directly, BJP government is necessary for UP. For the poor to get ration during the pandemic, BJP is necessary,” he said.
The BJP’s manifesto for UP polls was one of public welfare and that the double engine government had done a lot in the state, said the PM cautioning the people against voting for those who were eyeing an opportunity to take revenge of the action taken on criminals whom they were patronizing.
