Modi in west UP: Remember atrocities against daughters

“Recall, when there was Mahamilavati government in Delhi, and the SP’s government here, they conducted an experiment in Muzaffaranagar. Atrocities were committed on the basis of caste and community. Kaise julm huye, betiyon ke saath kya kya anyay hua, kitna atyachar hua, woh sab yaad hai na, yaad rakhoge na? (What crimes were committed, what atrocities happened against daughters, do you remember, will you remember?” Modi said, adding that Saharanpur was being seen as “a new laboratory”.

Modi said BSP chief Mayawati can forget those days but UP cannot. “Arson in markets in Saharanpur, atrocities against traders, can UP forget those days?”

He said there was a time when gangs roamed about in Kairana to grab houses and shops. He said bua and babua — an apparent reference to Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav — can forget the palayan (exodus), but people cannot.

Modi invoked former BJP MP from Kairana Hukum Singh, who had raised the issue of alleged exodus from the area. After his death, Singh’s daughter Mriganka Singh lost the bypoll in Kairana last year to SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate Tabassum Begum. While Tabassum is SP nominee from Kairana this time, the BJP has fielded Pradeep Kumar.

Targeting RLD president Ajit Singh, the alliance’s candidate in Muzaffarnagar, and his son Jayant Chaudhary, who is contesting from Baghpat, Modi said Ajit Singh had crossed all limits for self-interest. “He does not raise his voice against those who shelter rioters and today he is visiting every street to abuse this chowkidar,” Modi said.

Accusing the Congress of being “anti-OBC”, he said former PM Rajiv Gandhi opposed Mandal Commission in Parliament and the Congress has objected to the OBC Commission.

Referring to the Congress candidate in Saharanpur, Imran Masood, who had allegedly threatened to chop Modi into pieces during the 2014 election, he said, “Yahan to boti-boti karne wale saahab bhi hain aur Congress ke shehzaade ke bade chahete hain. (Here we have the man who threatens to chop up people and is a favourite of the Congress prince).”

He added, “Yaad rakhiye, woh boti-boti ki dhamki dene wale log hain aur hum beti-beti ko suraksha va samman dene wale log hain (Remember, they are people who threaten to chop others and we are people who ensure the security and honour of daughters).”

“Boti-boti karne ki sochne wale betiyon ki nahi soch sakte (Those who threaten to chop others cannot be concerned about daughters),” Modi said.

Addressing the rally for Kairana and Saharanpur seats, where Muslim votes are crucial, Modi said he wants to tell Muslim daughters that they will face harassment under SP, BSP and Congress. “They will not give a nod to the law against triple talaq and ensure that the ordinance we introduced is not cleared.”

He also said the Congress manifesto is a “dhakosla patra” (fraud document).

The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of insulting Bhimrao Ambedkar.

Speaking on national security, he said, “Naya bharat atankiyon ko ghuskar marega. The policy of chowkidar is clear that there will be direct and hard strike if conspiracy is done against us from inside the country or from across the border.”

Modi alleged that the SP and BSP seek evidence of the valour of soldiers while the Congress’s stand was to honour the “tukde-tukde gang”. Targeting the Congress over its promise to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and repeal the sedition law if it comes to power, Modi said, “Will the country accept that? Will you accept a policy that makes our jawans helpless against terrorists and stone-pelters and a policy that gives free hand to anti-nationals.”

Addressing a rally in Dehradun, the Prime Minister said, “Congress and corruption go together. They can never be separated. Corruption needs Congress, and Congress needs corruption… Whether it is the 2G scam, the coal scam, the Commonwealth scam, from the earth to the skies, there is nothing that has escaped their loot,” he said.

He reiterated his attack on the Congress over their promise to review AFSPA. This assumes significance in Uttarakhand, which is home to a large number of security personnel. “The Congress wants to break the morale of the people protecting our borders,” he further said.

“I promise all families of martyrs in the country that I will not let the tukde-tukde gang succeed,” the Prime Minister said.