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Lok Sabha polls: PM Modi launches east UP push with four-rally blitz
PM Modi’s comments came as the focus shifted to the eastern UP, which goes to the polls in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases of the ongoing general elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a campaign blitz in the electoral battleground of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accusing the Opposition of spreading lies on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and of abusing north Indians to gain votes in the south, and alleging that the INDIA bloc will disintegrate after the election results.
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In four packed rallies in Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Bhadohi and Pratapgarh, Modi also alleged that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) had brought in a triple-dose of appeasement, contrasting their alleged approach to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s record of working for the “santushti” (satisfaction) of all, in line with his mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (inclusive development for all).
“Do whatever you want to, but you will never be able to remove CAA,” Modi said in Lalganj in Azamgarh, a day after the first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was issued to 300 people.
“These people say that when Modi goes, CAA will also go. Is there anyone in the country who can end the CAA?” Modi said, alleging that the Congress and SP made Hindus and Muslims fight. “But we have unmasked them. This is the Modi ki guarantee,” he asserted.
“The work of giving citizenship under CAA to refugees has already started. All these people are Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. They have been living in the country for a long time as refugees and were victims of the partition of the country done based on religion,” he said.
Modi accused the Congress of neglecting these refugees. “The Congress and the SP tried to spread lies in the name of CAA. They tried to push Uttar Pradesh and the entire country towards riots,” he alleged.
Former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress leader Digvijay Singh said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s record of speaking lies remains unbroken.”
Modi’s comments came as the focus shifted to the eastern part of UP, which goes to the polls in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases of the ongoing general elections. Of the 41 Lok Sabha seats in this region, the BJP holds 32, the Samajwadi Party holds none, the Bahujan Samaj Party holds 6, and the Congress holds 1, and the BJP ally Apna Dal holds 2.
Modi further said the Congress and SP were two parties but ran one shop where they sell appeasement, lies, dynasty politics and corruption.
“They have come with a triple dose of appeasement. They want to snatch the reservation granted to the SCs, STs and OBCs and give it to their vote bank. The INDI alliance wants to take half your property and give it to its vote bank. Also, they want to divide the country’s budget. We have to be cautious of those who divide and rule. They did Hindu-Muslim for 70 years. We must unite,” Modi said
Alleging that the SP was running a mission to abuse the Ram temple, he said, “Our faith is being hurt for the sake of vote bank.”
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“We got the Ram temple after a wait of 500 years. The entire country is happy, every Indian living across the world is happy but these ‘parivarvadis’ are hurling abuses. The shehzade [prince] of SP and his uncle call the Ram temple useless,” he said.
He was referring to SP’s chief national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav’s comments calling the Ram Mandir “bekaar (useless)” as it has not been properly constructed, keeping the “vastu” in mind.
Modi also referred to the high turnout in Jammu & Kashmir and linked it to the scrapping of Article 370.
“In the recent polling held in Kashmir, people voted and felt proud of participating in the festival of democracy. The excitement shown by the people of Srinagar in polls is proof no one can bring back Article 370 and do vote bank politics.... Earlier during the polls in Kashmir, there used to be protests, people used to fear for their lives and get threats from terrorists. But this time, previous polling records were broken in Srinagar,” he said.
“The fourth phase of voting in Srinagar marked a celebration of India’s democracy and Constitution after 40 years. The enthusiasm witnessed in Srinagar signals an end to vote-bank politics centred around Article 370,” he added.
The Srinagar parliamentary constituency, which went to polls on May 13, recorded a voter turnout of 38% — the highest turnout in the constituency since the 1996 general elections when it was 40.9%.
He said earlier people used to think of Azamgarh every time a blast took place but added the identity changed a decade ago. “Terrorists accused of explosions were pardoned. Sleeper cells were given the cover of politics. Due to this attitude, terrorism rose across the country. These people still have the same attitude,” Modi said.
He appealed to the people to elect his party candidates Neelam Sonkar from Lalganj, who is facing SP’s Daroga Saroj, and Dinesh Lal Yadav “Nirahua” from Azamgarh, who is running opposite SP’s Dharmendra Yadav and BSP’s Mashood Ahmed.
He highlighted the BJP’s reverence for the Yadav community and brought up Mohan Yadav’s appointment as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh last year.
Emphasising the significance of India’s global stature, Modi said, “The world is witnessing widespread support for the BJP, NDA, and their allies, evident in the unified voice echoing across the nation with the resounding chant of “Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh ministers Surya Pratap Shahi, Dara Singh Chauhan, Om Prakash Rajbhar, Lalganj MP Sangeeta Azad, BJP state general secretary Govind Narayan Shukla, legislative council member Vijay Bahadur Pathak, BJP candidate from Lalganj Neelam Sonkar, and Azamgarh candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav “Nirahua” were present at the rally.
In Jaunpur, Modi said that the Lok Sabha elections was an opportunity for the country to choose a leader who could run a strong government which “makes the world aware of India’s strength”.
Modi was addressing a rally organised in support of BJP candidates Kripashankar Singh from Jaunpur and BP Saroj from Machhlishahr.
Attacking SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Modi said, “SP’s shehzade also makes fun of Kashi. They are crossing every limit to please their vote bank. I am surprised that it is the 21st century and they are roaming around with the flag of triple talaq.
Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s oft-repeated comment that the Congress will conduct an “X-ray of India” through the caste census, Modi added: “You must have heard that these Congressmen brought an X-ray machine. One needs to be careful with it. I have been exposing their agenda for a week. It seems that their X-ray machine has broken down.”
In Bhadohi, Modi said the Samajwadi Party and the Congress wanted to try out the “Trinamool politics”, terming it a politics of appeasement and harassment of Dalits and women.
The Opposition has fielded a Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Lalitesh Pati Tripathi in Bhadohi. “It is difficult for the SP and Congress to even save their deposit, so they are doing a political experiment in Bhadohi,” Modi said.
“TMC politics means murder of Hindus, harassment of Dalits and advasis, atrocities on women. So many BJP leaders were killed there and TMC MLAs say that they will kill Hindus by drowning them in the Ganga,” Modi said.
The TMC’s politics included the “poisonous arrow of appeasement”, calling Ram temple “impure”, banning Ram Navami celebrations, sheltering Bangladeshi intruders and “vote jihad”, Modi said.
“The Samajawadi shehzade brought a bua (aunt) from West Bengal. Samajwadi shahzade should ask his buaa as to why she calls UP people outsiders,” he added.
He was referring to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who has said called the BJP a party of outsiders since the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections.
In Jaunpur, he accused SP and Congress of “abusing” the people of UP when they are in the South.
In Pratapgarh, Modi said the INDIA bloc wanted to make five prime ministers in five years and claimed that it will disintegrate after June 4, the day votes are counted for the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing an election rally in support of the BJP candidate and sitting MP Sangam Lal Gupta, the PM said the INDIA bloc wanted to replace the stable NDA government and make five prime ministers in five years.
“Many things will happen after June 4. The INDI alliance will disintegrate and they will look for a scapegoat after the defeat.”
In an apparent attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, he said, “The shehzade (princes) of Lucknow and Delhi will leave for abroad on summer vacations,” said Modi.
Voting will be held in Lalganj, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Machhlishahr and Pratapgarh constituencies in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 25.
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Addressing a public meeting at an intermediate college in Dharwara, Karchhana in Prayagraj, Digvijay Singh said, “The BJP is spreading hatred in the name of Hindu and Muslim and the people will not forgive them. Lord Ram is revered by all Hindus but BJP worked against Sanatan religion by consecration of Lord Ram in half-built temple.”
“This election is for saving democracy and the Constitution of the country. Governments keep changing but there is no dent to the Constitution,” Singh said, adding that no decision was taken in favour of farmers, youths and poor during the last 10 years.
