LUCKNOW: Commencing his poll campaign by addressing first physical rally in Saharanpur, the western tip of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the voters to support riot-free and peaceful state, criminals behind the bars and security for women.
The Prime Minister addressed his rally 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 on Thursday.
However, Saharanpur will go to polls in the second phase on February 14 when voting would be held on 55 seats across nine districts of western UP.
Reaching out to other half of the population, the PM stressed that the BJP government was essential for Uttar Pradesh to maintain a secured atmosphere for the women to grow without fear. Claiming that BJP wanted the women to contribute to nation-building, he said that all the sectors were being opened for them. He also raised the issue of triple talaq in Saharanpur where Muslims make around 42 per cent of the population.
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," PM Modi said.
The PM launched an attack on SP-RLD alliance leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Chaudhury respectively over the alleged arrogance and compared them with the SP-Congress alliance in 2017 reminding people of its fate then.
The PM harped on Muzaffarnagar riot rhetoric of the BJP and reminded people of Saharanpur Muslim-Sikh riots of 2014 urging them to vote for peace and security which, he claimed, would take the state on 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 helm in previous government.
“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 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 in 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.