Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his election campaign by addressing a massive rally in Meerut on Thursday. More than highlighting the efforts taken by his government in the last five years, he used the occasion to attack the Opposition for alleged corruption and “promoting” terrorism.
He invoked the memory of Charan Singh and said there’s a reason why he chose Meerut to launch the poll campaign. “The first war for independence started from here,” he said. To woo the Jat community, he said his government implemented 10 per cent reservation for the upper caste in government jobs.
Maintaining that he is a
He said it is for the first time that the country saw a decisive government that fulfilled all its promises. “This
He said, during the tenure of the previous coalition government, punishment against terrorism was based on the religious identity of the terrorist. Personally targeting BSP’s candidate in Meerut Haji Yakub Qureshi, he said the grand coalition’s candidate offered prize money for terrorists.
Modi was referring to a news report of 2015 that said Qureshi offered prize money to terrorists who attacked Paris. Qureshi had rubbished such reports.
Creating an acronym for the SP-BSP combine, Modi said Samajwadi Party’s sa , RL’s r a and the BSP’s ba , will be sarab (liquor) for Uttar Pradesh and urged voters to stay away from the alliance to keep Uttar Pradesh healthy. He said the leaders of the alliance are more popular in Pakistan for seeking “evidences” for the actions against terrorism.
Congress retorts
The Congress retorted by saying that such statements will not add any glory to the post of PM. “People will reject people who do not respect democracy,” Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
SP President Akhilesh Yadav said Modi’s tele-prompted speech was full of hatred towards opponents.
BSP supremo Mayawati said the PM should have also given the details on the black money stashed abroad and the promise of giving ₹15 lakh to each citizen.