Prime Minister Narendra Modi warns people against opposition’s ‘badla’ politics

Tribune News Service

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, January 31

In a scathing attack against the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday warned people of ‘badla’ politics (“politics of revenge”), accusing the BJP’s main rival in these electionsof inducing voters to “seek revenge” on the saffron party and the Yogi Adityanath-led government in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a virtual rally for constituencies in western region, the PM targeted the Samajwadi Party, alleging that five years ago muscle men and rioters used to be the law unto themselves in Uttar Pradesh. When western UP was burning due to riots (Muzaffarnagar-2013), “those in power were celebrating”, he also added.

“Five years ago, rioters, muscle men used to be law unto themselves in UP,” he said, pitching for “development-oriented and ‘gareeb ki sarkar;” of BJP’s Chief Minister Adityanath in contrast to the “nakli samajwad (fake socialism)” of the previous government.

“Five years ago, there was news of the migration of people every other day. Abduction and demand for ransom had ruined the lives of the middle-class and traders.Traders were looted and daughters could not come out of their homes five years ago in the state,” he said.

“I am glad that people are careful, they have decided to bring the BJP back to power with a bigger mandate. The people have made up their mind to give their blessings to BJP, especially the young and first-time voters. They will not back goondas,” he said

Taking a dig at Yadav’s initial remarks on Covid vaccines, PM Modi said: “Those who do not trust India’s own Covid vaccine, science and fuel rumours, can they respect the talent of UP’s youth?”

“Those who betrayed poor were not even true to Chaudhary Charan Singh’s memory,” he said.

The PM cited various schemes launched by the BJP-led Centre and the State, including homes for poor, policies for backward classes, medical colleges, greater connectivity through expressways, initiatives for Muslim women and the raising of marriage for women, to pitch for the Yogi Adityanath-led government.

“These days, people dream a lot. Only those who keep sleeping, dream... Yogi Adityanath is awake, committed to work for UP’s development,”, he said in another jibe at Akhilesh.

The PM said the previous government built “only 73 houses in Gautam Budh Nagar” during their tenure whereas the Adityanath government built “about 23,000 houses and gave them to the urban poor”.

“Only 800 houses were built in Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat cities by the Samajwadi government during its entire tenure,”, he said, adding that the BJP government has given houses to more than 33,000 poor people in these three cities.

The first phase polling will be held in Uttar Pradesh on February 10. They include Baghpat, Shamli, Gautam Budh Nagar, Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur, which the Prime Minister addressed in his virtual rally.

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