Dynasts ignored problems of Muslim women, seasonal politicians will go back after March 10: PM Modi

BARABANKI/KAUSHAMBI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the BJP's rivals, saying they were only bothered about "vote-bank politics" and did not pay attention to the "mountain-like" problems faced by Muslim women due to evil practices like triple talaq.

He said the "seasonal politicians" of the opposition parties, who were missing when the COVID-19 wave was at its peak and showed up at the time of elections, will return to their foreign tours after March 10, when the assembly election results will be declared.

Addressing rallies in Barabanki and Kaushambi, he trained his guns at the Samajwadi Party, accusing it of doing everything to protect those accused of terror activities.

Modi again questioned the "silence" of the SP over a Gujarat court awarding capital punishment to 38 convicts in the 2008 serial blasts in Ahmedabad.

The whole country is satisfied that those guilty of killing innocent people have been punished by the judiciary after a detailed probe and long trial, but none of the dynasts welcomed the judgement, he said.

At the Barabanki rally, Modi claimed that the opposition parties are rattled as the poor people who have benefited from various welfare schemes, including free ration during the coronavirus pandemic, are carrying the BJP's victory flag.

Increasing the safety and dignity of daughters has always been the priority of the double-engine government, the prime minister said and highlighted the large-scale recruitment of women in Uttar Pradesh Police as well as in the paramilitary forces and the army.

"Today, daughters are protecting the country and society by becoming commandos in maximum numbers. Around 6-7 years ago the number of women police personnel in our country was only 1.10 lakh. Now the number of women police personnel has reached above 2.25 lakh," he said.

He also took a swipe at opposition leaders for claiming that they can understand people's pain more than those who have no family, saying for him, UP and the entire country is family.

"Those who say that they have families, I want to ask these dynasts why didn't they worry about the pain of my Muslim sisters and daughters and their families when they were forced to return to their father's home.

"The dynasts always bothered about their 'vote bank' but shut their eyes to the mountain-like problems faced by the Muslim women due to triple talaq practice.

"It is our government which has freed these Muslim sisters from the vicious cycle of triple talaq," he said, adding it not only helped women but also their families.

Modi started the day with a rally at Barabanki and later addressed another public meeting in Kaushambi.

The Barabanki rally also covered assembly segments of neighbouring Ayodhya. The three districts will go to vote in the fifth phase on February 27.

Asserting that it was his government that for the first time addressed the issues of small and marginal farmers, the prime minister said "we have transferred more than Rs 800 crore in the bank accounts of farmers in Barabanki district only".

The interest of farmers is central to his government, Modi said and noted that a national vaccination programme especially for cattle worth Rs 13,000 crore is underway.

The government has started a Govardhan scheme where plants are being set up to manufacture biogas using animal dung, he said.

Attacking the previous governments at the Centre as well as in UP, Modi said "these dynasts provided the people bare minimum and always wanted them to remain at their feet".

At the second rally in Kaushambi, Modi alleged that SP did everything it could to protect terrorists when it was in power in Uttar Pradesh.

He also accused the ministers, MLAs and MPs of "dynast parties" of "stealing" the ration of the poor during their rule.

Targeting his political rivals, Modi called them "seasonal politicians", and alleged they were missing when the COVID-19 wave was at its peak and even discouraged people from taking the vaccine but took the vaccine themselves.

“These seasonal politicians will return to their foreign tours after March 10 but we will remain here to work for the development of Uttar Pradesh,” said Modi.

Results of the seven-phase elections in UP will come on March 10 along with those of Punjab, Uttrakhand, Goa and Manipur.

Talking about Sonelal Patel, father of Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal, an alliance partner of BJP, Modi said that Patel used to meet him during his visits to Gujarat.

“Sonelal Patel gave his life in the service of poor, marginalised and exploited groups of society,” said Modi.

Incidentally, Sonelal Patel's eldest daughter Pallavi Patel is challenging BJP's Keshav Prasad Maurya in Sirathu seat as SP candidate.

Criticising the previous SP government, Modi said that it was popular for its scams including those related riverfront, ration, ambulance and mining.

“Even the ration sent for the poor was stolen by the middlemen, ministers, MLAs and MPs of Samajwadi Party. The BJP has put an end to all these scams,” said Modi.

The PM also invoked Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and said that his government made the Statue of Unity in his remembrance "but the dynasts who travel all around the world don't have time to visit the statue".

Modi also mentioned that Akhilesh Yadav had ''refused to accept'' a replica of Gautam Buddha during his programme in Kaushambi Tuesday.

The prime minister said he saw a video of the incident and alleged it shows how these dynasts were insulting Dalits.

"He grabbed a silver-coated mukut (crown) but refused to take a replica of Lord Buddha,” he said, in an apparent dig at the SP chief.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search