About 64.34 per cent voters exercised their democratic right in Punjab on Sunday where the Charanjeet Singh Channi government is facing tough challenges from Opposition AAP, led by Bhagwant Singh Mann. In the third phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, where voters in 59 constituencies went to polling stations, the turnout is 60.08 per cent till 5 pm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the campaign for the fourth phase picked up in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing rallies in Unnao and Hardoi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said some political parties have been kind to politics. Citing a recent court verdict on the Ahmedabad blasts, Modi said he would ensure that all culprits will be punished.
“When I was the chief minister of Gujarat, the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts took place. I can never forget that day when the earth was reddened by the blood of the victims of the serial blasts. There were uncontrolled tears. I picked up the blood-soaked soil and took a ‘sankalp’ (vow) that my government will track these terrorists, even from ‘paataal’ (netherworld), and punish them,” he added.
He said when there is a terrorist attack and when terrorism increases, the maximum loss is borne by the poor and the middle class. “The life of common people, trade and tourism are affected following a terror attack,” he added. Modi said the blasts were done in two ways.
“The first one was done in the city at 50-60 places, and then after two hours, a blast took place in a vehicle in a hospital, as relatives, officials and leaders would be going there. A number of people also died there,” he said and apparently referring to Samajwadi Party, he said in the initial blasts, the bombs were kept on cycles. “I wonder why they (terrorists) opted cycles,” he added.
He said the Samajwadi government ordered the withdrawal of cases lodged against many terrorists in 2007. “These people were indulging in explosions, and the Samajwadi government did not allow these terrorists to be prosecuted,” he said.