Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed Rahul Gandhi over a 2014 incident when according to him, his helicopter was held up in Punjab because "Yuvraj (prince)" was flying to Amritsar, reports ndtv.com.
Modi added he had gone to Punjab to campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha pols, "after being named the BJP's presumptive Prime Minister.
"My name was announced for PM candidate. I had to visit Pathankot and Himachal to campaign. But my chopper was not allowed to fly because their yuvraj (prince) was also in Amritsar. So the Congress has a habit of not allowing the Opposition to work," PM Modi said at a rally in Jalandhar ahead of Sunday's election in Punjab.
According to ndttv.com, "The PM's taunt was significant on a day Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's helicopter was not allowed to take off from Chandigarh's Rajendra Park, reportedly as a "no-fly zone" had been enforced due to the Prime Minister's visit."
The Chief Minister was on his way to Punjab's Hoshiarpur for Gandhi's poll rally. Rahul Gandhi's chopper was, however, allowed to land in Hoshiarpur.
Modi also said the law against triple talaq has saved families of thousands of Muslim women from breaking up in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing an election rally here at Kanpur Dehat, the prime minister said the tightening of law and order in the state has also benefitted Muslim girls who used to face problems from miscreants while going to school earlier.
PM Modi's remarks at the rally here come amid a row in Karnataka where schools have stopped Muslim girls from attending classes while wearing hijab. The polling for second phase of UP assembly polls was held on Friday. However, voting for Kanpur Dehat will take place in a later phase.
The prime minister also hit out at the Samajwadi Party, saying they had distributed areas among family members for "loot" during their rule in the state. Justifying the legislation against triple talaq, the prime minister recalled how Muslim women suffered due to the practice.
"If a Muslim girl came back from her 'maika' (native home) empty-handed, she was instantly given triple talaq. If a motorcycle, gold chain, watch or mobile phone was not brought (by her), then triple talaq was given. The life of Muslim women had gotten virtually destroyed by triple talaq.
"You can understand the pain of not only that woman, but also of her parents. When the daughter came back to her home (from her in-laws place), she was under constant fear of getting triple talaq. Today, we have given to every Muslim sister a law to protect themselves against triple talaq," Modi said.
The prime minister said according to a report, after the anti-triple talaq law was enacted, the homes of thousands of daughters were saved from breaking up in Uttar Pradesh. The Centre had enacted a law against triple talaq in 2019.
Modi also took a swipe at the Trinamul Congress over a leader's remark that the party was contesting elections in Goa to "divide" Hindu votes. That leader's remark should be noted by the Election Commission, by the voters and also by the voters of UP.
PM Modi was apparently referring to TMC MP Mahua Moitra's remarks that her party has prevented the consolidation of Hindu votes by tying up with the MGP in Goa.
"She (in an interview) said her party has forged an alliance so that the Hindu votes in Goa could be divided. You see this audacity ('himmat'). Is this democracy?
"Is this secularism? You are openly saying you want to divide the Hindu votes. Then whose votes are you trying to gather? This discrimination, is this the language of democracy. I would like to say to the voters of Goa, that this is the opportunity to bury this type of politics," Modi said.
He lauded the UP government for instilling fear in the minds of miscreants, goons and rioters, saying this has boosted the confidence of girls in the state.
"And that is why, every daughter and sister of the state are saying - 'UP ke liye Yogi ha Upyogi' (Yogi is useful for UP)," he said. The prime minister said a large number of beneficiaries of the work, which has been done by our government, are Muslim daughters.
"Our Muslim daughters faced problems from miscreants when they used to go to school. But as crime was controlled in UP, they benefitted from it.
"My constant endeavour is to make the life of Muslim daughters and sisters smooth," Modi said. Coming down heavily on the Samajwadi Party, he said they had distributed areas among family members for "loot" during their rule in the state.
Modi asked the people whether they would like to vote for a party which would create "mafia ganj" in every district of the state. The PM's rally covered 10 assembly constituencies of Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat and Jalaun districts.
Modi also talked about Kanpur Dehat being home of President Ram Nath Kovind.
