Home minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath on Friday appeared to compete with each other in upping the ante on polarisation.

While Shah asked voters if Rahul Gandhi wanted to run the country based on “Sharia” (laws), Adityanath went a step further and accused the Congress of promising to allow “gau-kashi” (cow slaughter).

“The Congress in its manifesto has said that they will take forward personal laws. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi that if their preference is for personal laws, then will this country run as per Sharia?” Shah said while appealing to voters to come out in large numbers to vote in the second phase.

“Our Constitution is ‘panth nirpeksh’ (secular). Laws can’t be formed on the basis of religion,” he said, stressing that Rahul’s push for “personal laws” was aimed at “disintegrating the country”.

“The BJP has clearly said in its manifesto that it will bring Uniform Civil Code (UCC). There will be only one law for people of all faiths and religions,” Shah added before hitting the campaign trail to address rallies in Madhya Pradesh.

Shah claimed that Modi was set to return to power for a third term as people were voting to make the country “secure and prosperous”.

Adityanath’s “cow slaughter” allegation against the Congress was made at a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal. “Along with inheritance tax, the Congress manifesto has said one more thing. They have said that they will give freedom to minorities to eat. That means they will give full freedom for ‘gau-kashi’ (cow slaughter),” Adityanath told the rally.

“Kya aap gau-kashi ko chhoot denge kya? (Will you allow cow slaughter?),” he asked the crowd. “Look at these shameless people, how they are playing with the faith of mother India,” he said. “How can this be allowed? How can you allow the cow, which you consider to be your mother, to get slaughtered by the kasais (butchers)? Kya Hindustan isko sweekar paayega kya? (Will India be able to accept this?)” Adityanath said.

In its poll manifesto, the Congress has said it will ensure that “minorities have the freedom of choice of dress, food, language and personal laws”.

“We will encourage reform of personal laws. Such reform must be undertaken with the participation and consent of the communities concerned,” the manifesto said.

Modi has been making an undisguised effort to play the polarisation card, alleging that the Congress manifesto has an imprint of the “Muslim League” and that the party plans to conduct a survey of the properties of citizens, attach them and distribute them disproportionately among Muslims.