Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File Photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File Photo)

ACCUSING THE Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh of indulging in discrimination (bhedbhav), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that if a village gets a graveyard, it should get a cremation ground too; if there is electricity during Ramzan, it should be there on Diwali as well; and if there is electricity during Holi, it should be there on Eid too.

Watch PM Modi’s full speech in Fatehpur; decide if opposition’s attack is justified

“Gaon mein agar kabristan banta hai, to gaon mein shamshaan bhi banana chahiye. Agar Ramzan mein bijli milti hai, to Diwali mein bhi milni chahiye. Agar Holi mein bijli milti hai, to Eid par bhi bijli milni chahiye. Bhedbhav nahin hona chahiye (If a village gets a graveyard, it should get a cremation ground too. If there is electricity during Ramzan, there should be electricity during Diwali too. If there is electricity during Holi, there should be electricity during Eid too. There should not be any discrimination),” said Modi, addressing a rally in Fatehpur district.

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Stating that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that there is no discrimination, he said there should not be any injustice on the basis of religion or caste. “Dharm ke aadhar par to bilkul nahin hona chahiye, jaati ke adhar par bilkul nahin hona chahiye… unch-neech ke aadhar par bilkul nahin hona chahiye,” he said, adding that his government’s principle was “sabka saath, sabka vikas”.

Modi said the biggest problem in Uttar Pradesh is discrimination. “Anyay ki jado mein bhedbhav hai… Dalit ko poocho to woh kehta hai, mujhe haq ka nahin de rahein hai, OBC wale lejaate hai. OBC walon ko poocho, to bole mere haq ka nahin dete, wo sirf Yadav ko de dete hai. Yadav ko poocho, to bole unke parivar se jo jude hain, sirf unhi ko milte hai, baaki sab Mussalmano ko chala jata hai… (Discrimination is the root of injustice… Dalits say they are not getting their rights, OBCs are getting everything. OBCs say the government only gives the Yadavs. Yadavs say only those associated with the ‘family’ are getting their rights, and the rest goes to Muslims),” said Modi.

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“Yeh bhedbhav nahin chal sakta hai… Kisi bhi mata ki kokh se paida hua ho… Har kisi ko uske haq ka milna chahiye, yeh sabka saath sabka vikas hota hai (This discrimination cannot continue… Regardless of who gave birth to you… Everyone should get their rights, that is sabka saath sabka vikas),” he said.

The Prime Minister said that when his government announced the distribution of LPG stoves, it did not discriminate. “We did not say that only Hindus will get, and Muslims will not get… Whoever stands in the queue will get. We did not say that any particular caste will get. Everyone will get their right,” he said.

Targeting the Akhilesh Yadav government on law and order, Modi said “goonda raj” prevails in the state and police stations have become the SP’s offices. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had to intervene and direct the state government to lodge an FIR against Gayatri Prajapati, a minister in the state government and candidate from Amethi. He said he was surprised that Akhilesh started his election campaign by canvassing for Prajapati.

Modi also referred to the rape and murder case lodged against an SP MLA in Sultanpur. “Kya maa-betiyon ki ijjat lootne ke liye SP ki sarkar banai thi… maa-betiyon ki hatya karne ke liye SP ki sarkar banai thi (Was the SP government elected to rape and kill our mothers and daughters),” he said.

Criticising the alliance between the SP and Congress, he said Akhilesh and Rahul Gandhi shook hands and hugged each other, but realised on the first day itself that the path ahead was difficult. “Those born with a silver spoon in their mouth have realised that the situation is not in their favour on the ground. After ‘27 saal, UP behal’ slogan, the Congress was compelled to form an alliance with SP because of this reason,” he said.

“Akhilesh Yadav is looking defeated, his voice has become feeble, he is afraid and searching for right words while talking to mediapersons… like he has already lost,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Modi also invoked Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “Har Hindustani ek baat jaroor kehta hai ki kaash aaj Sardar Patel zinda hote to… kitni badi shradhanjali hai,” he said, adding, “Desh ke log doosri baat bhi kehte hain… achcha hota agar pehle pradhan mantri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel hote, to desh ki disha alag hoti (Every Indian talks about how things would have been different if Sardar Patel had become the first prime minister).”

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