The Samajwadi government gaven orders to withdraw cases from terrorists," PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted rivals Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh today, adding to allegations that the parties are soft on terror. Pointing to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, which claimed 56 lives and left over 200 people injured, he said some parties are sympathetic to terrorists. Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party is the BJP's biggest challenger it the state where the third phase of elections are being held today.
Speaking at a rally in Hardoi, he accused the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh government of seeking to withdraw cases against terrorists.
"The attitude of the leaders of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress has been even more alarming. These people address a terrorist like Osama as 'ji'. These people shed tears over the elimination of terrorists in Batla House encounter," he said.
"Similarly, in 14 cases of terrorist attacks in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi government had given orders to withdraw the cases from many terrorists. These people were setting off blast after blast, and the Samajwadi Party government was not even allowing these terrorists to be prosecuted," he added.
The BJP has traditionally accused the Congress of appeasement politics because of its sizeable Muslim support base. Once this support shifted to the Samajwadi Party, the barbs got sharper.
Campaign in the run-up to this election was sharply polarized, with senior state leaders and the Chief Minister accusing Akhilesh Yadav's party of being supporters of Pakistan and its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Mr Yadav's father, party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was dubbed "Maulana Mulayam".
Yogi Adityanath had also alleged that the SP was trying to turning the assembly seat of Bhojpur into an "Islamabad".
Accusing political rivals of playing politics of appeasement, PM Modi today said, "Those who used to stop our festivals owing to their politics of appeasement, they will get an answer from the people of Uttar Pradesh on March 10".
On the other big allegation against the Samajwadi Party – laxity on the law and order front -- PM Modi said the locals would remember how the Samajwadi Party government gave a free hand to those using 'katta' (country-made pistols) and its cadres.
"People of Hardoi have seen those days when these people had given a free hand to those using 'katta' and those in 'satta' (power)," he said.
Results of the seven-phase assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will be announced on March 10.