Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said a return to power by the Samajwadi Party would let loose a reign of criminals, continuing the fear-mongering that has dominated any talk of hope at his campaign speeches in recent weeks.

“I want to say something very important to the whole of Uttar Pradesh, particularly western Uttar Pradesh. Have you seen how criminals went to jail on their own for fear of Yogiji’s government?” Modi told Bijnore’s voters in a virtual rally.

“They (criminals) demanded they be arrested. These people are waiting for this election. Their only desire is that the government change somehow and the mafia raj return, so they can come out of jail. Criminals who had run away from Uttar Pradesh too are hoping to be back…. (Vote for) the BJP for your security.”

Several videos have emerged over the past few years purportedly showing criminals begging the police to arrest them because they “fear the rule of Adityanath”. Opposition parties allege that state government officials have stage-managed these videos and publicised them in the media.

The nature of the criminals’ alleged fear remains unsaid in the videos but the ill-concealed suggestion is that they apprehend being killed in fake encounters, which throws a dubious light on Adityanath’s style of crime management.

Trip scrapped

Modi was supposed to address a physical rally at the Wardhman College in Bijnore from 11.30am but the gathering of 3,000-4,000 was told after a long wait that he wouldn’t be able to come and would address a virtual rally.

Police sources had said at 10.30am that Modi would be late because of poor visibility. At 11.15am, by when the fog had cleared, they said Modi’s chopper would soon take off from the Safdarjung helipad in Delhi.

Around noon, they said the Prime Minister would address the gathering virtually.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had arrived at 11am and was seen talking continuously on his mobile phone.

Some 12 IPS officers, 18 additional superintendents and 35 deputy superintendents from Bijnore and adjoining districts had been posted at the venue. They were supported by 50 inspectors, 200 sub-inspectors, 600 constables and 500 Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel.

BJP workers from Bijnore, Moradabad, Bareilly and Amroha and their families were present too. They heard the Prime Minister on large screens that had already been put up at the venue for those prevented by the Covid protocol from getting close to the stage.

At the beginning of his speech, Modi quoted the revolutionary poet Dushyant Kumar to target the Samajwadi Party.

“Yahan tak ate ate sookh jati hain kai nadiyan/ Mujhe maloom hai paani kahan thehra hua hoga (Many rivers dry up before reaching here, I know where the water has collected),” the Prime Minister said.

“The water of the river of development was stopped before 2017 in Uttar Pradesh. This water was collected by the family of the fake Samajwadis and their kin,” he said.

“These people were never concerned about the thirst of the common man or development. They were busy quenching their own thirst.”

Lauding the BJP’s “double-engine government” at the Centre and the state, he said: “Past governments had spoilt the image of Uttar Pradesh but today it is going to be the first state with five international airports.”

Bijnore votes in the second phase on February 14.