Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday suggested that the return of a Samajwadi Party government would restore the rule of criminals, prompting the rival to suggest the fear-mongering reflected the embattled BJP’s desperation ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh elections.
“Nobody can forget that musclemen and rioters were the law in Uttar Pradesh five years ago, their word was the government’s command,” Modi said in Hindi, without naming Samajwadi president Akhilesh Yadav who was chief minister from 2012 till 2017.
“Businessmen were robbed, our daughters were afraid to step out of their homes. The mafia used to roam freely under the government’s patronage.”
Modi was addressing a virtual rally, titled “Jan Chaupal”, aimed largely at the western Uttar Pradesh constituencies that will vote in the first and second phases of the Assembly elections on February 10 and February 14.
He referred to the September 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar that pit Jats against Muslims in western Uttar Pradesh and created a political climate that helped the BJP sweep the heartland and win power at the Centre in the 2014 general election.
“The people of western Uttar Pradesh cannot forget that the previous government was organising a festival when this area was in the grip of riots….Today, in the time of elections… those involved in hooliganism are looking for an opportunity — they need a favourable government to continue their games,” Modi said in his 30-minute speech.
Akhilesh’s government had organised the Saifai Mahotsav in December 2013, a few months after the Muzaffarnagar riots in which more than 50 people were killed and 50,000 families were left homeless. Whenever the Samajwadis are in power, their government organises the annual festival in Saifai, the ancestral village of Akhilesh in Etawah district.
“Those who grabbed houses, land and shops of the poor, Dalits, underprivileged and the backward classes symbolised Samajwad (socialism) five years ago,” Modi said.
“They are dreaming about securing power at any cost. And who are they? They are fake Samajwadis. We are dedicating ourselves to bringing changes to Uttar Pradesh but they are hell-bent on taking revenge on you — taking revenge (on the people) is their ideology.”
Reacting to Modi’s speech, Samajwadi spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said: “Those who support genocide against Muslims are accusing us of supporting the mafia. The National Crime Record Bureau’s report says Uttar Pradesh tops the list of crimes against women.”
Recent calls for Hindus to take up weapons and kill Muslims have met with silence from Modi and little or no action by police forces that report to BJP governments.
Chaudhary said the BJP’s fear of losing was behind its attempt to sow fear about Samajwadi rule.
Akhilesh said: “The BJP is doing negative politics because it doesn’t have an answer to the rising crimes against women in the state.”
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath attended the virtual rally from Agra and asked the party not to be “overconfident” but “try to win from every booth”.
Sitting arrangements were made and LED screens put up at 98 places across the 21 Assembly constituencies of Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Saharanpur and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
Anup Gupta, the BJP official in charge of the arrangements, said: “The Election Commission has permitted gatherings of up to 500 people provided they wear masks and maintain social distancing. We made arrangements for less than 500 people at each centre. However, we invited those who have smart phones to join the rally (virtually).”
Gupta said six studios had been installed across the state to allow other party leaders to address the virtual rally. However, apart from Modi and Adityanath, only deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma spoke.
