Previous Governments Cheated Backward Classes In Name Of Social Justice: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused previous governments of cheating the SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice, and said he is working towards achieving the dream of social reformers Jyotiba Phule, B R Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh.

The prime minister also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, saying the "do shehzade ki jodi" has been rejected by people.

Addressing a poll rally here in support of Kanwar Singh Tanwar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency in western Uttar Pradesh, Modi said, "Previous governments have only cheated the people of SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe) and OBC (Other Backward Classes) communities in the name of social justice." 

"Modi is working day and night to achieve the social justice dream of Jyotiba Phule, Ambedkar and (former prime minister) Chaudhary Charan Singh," he added.

The prime minister addressed the rally as polling was underway in eight western Uttar Pradesh constituencies in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

Amroha will go to polls in the second phase on April 26.

In a veiled attack on Mr Gandhi and Mr Yadav, PM Modi said, "The shooting of the film, 'do shehzade ki jodi (pair of two princes)', is going on. But their film has already been rejected.

"Every time these people go out to seek votes from the people of Uttar Pradesh, they carry a basket of dynasty, corruption and appeasement. They do not leave any chance to attack our faith." Hitting out at the Congress candidate from Amroha, Danish Ali, the prime minister claimed that he has objections in saying "Bharat Mata ki jai".

"Will a person, who cannot accept Bharat Mata ki jai, look good in the Indian Parliament? Should such a person be allowed entry into the Indian Parliament?" he asked the rally.

Slamming the opposition, PM Modi said, "The SP and the Congress declined the invitation to the Ram temple's consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. People hankering for vote banks refused the invitation to the ceremony.

"They are not satisfied after refusing the invitation, so they abuse the Ram temple and Sanatan Dharma. The SP, for its vote bank, call Ram bhakts 'pakhandi' (hypocrite). Those in the INDIA bloc hate Sanatan Dharma." 

The prime minister alleged that when he went under the sea to offer prayers in Gujarat's Dwarka, where Lord Krishna had gone from Amroha, "the prince of the Congress said there is nothing to pray under the sea. They are rejecting our faith only for their vote banks".

Hitting out at Yadav and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, he said, "Those in Bihar who say they are Yaduvanshis, in Uttar Pradesh, the leader who takes the benefits of being a Yaduvanshi, I want to ask them, how can they sit with a party that insults Lord Krishna? How can you have an agreement with them?" 

Accusing vote-bank politics for communal riots, PM Modi said, "This vote-bank politics burnt western Uttar Pradesh in the fire of riots. The people of Uttar Pradesh can never forget that era of Goonda Raj. People had to migrate because of it.

"But Yogiji (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) got rid of criminals for your safety. We must ensure that these forces are not strengthened again in any manner." The prime minister began his speech with an appeal to people to vote. "I appeal to everyone to exercise their right to vote given by the Constitution," he said.

PM Modi emphasised that youngsters should especially go out and vote to secure their future and that of the country.

Attacking the INDIA opposition bloc, he said, "Those in the INDI alliance are using their strengths to make villages backwards." The prime minister was accompanied by Adityanath on the dais.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)