UP Election 2017: There Should Be No Discrimination, Says PM Narendra Modi In Fatehpur

Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur today. Campaigning for elections in UP has entered the fourth phase. The state, which is India's largest in terms of population and fourth in terms of area, is voting in 7 stages. Attempting to have a greater connect with the people, PM Modi, in one of his previous public rallies at Hardoi on February 16, had said that he is the "adopted son of Uttar Pradesh." Taking a dig at Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over his rift with father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Prime Minister Modi said, "Uttar Pradesh is like 'mai-baap'. I am not a son who would ditch his mai-baap. I will always care about Uttar Pradesh," he promised. He also said that he was inspired by Lord Krishna who was born in Uttar Pradesh but made Gujarat his "karma bhoomi". He said, "Krishna was born in Uttar Pradesh but made Gujarat his karma bhoomi. I was born in Gujarat but Uttar Pradesh has adopted me. It is a privilege for me." In his impassioned speeches over the last few weeks, PM Modi has been focusing on development and progress. Listing a number of initiatives taken by his government at the Centre, he said development of Uttar Pradesh will get a significant boost, should the BJP also form the government in the state. Terming the Samajwadi Party, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party as 'SCAM', or 'Samajwadi, Congress, Akhilesh, Mayawati', the Prime Minister urged people across the state to vote for the BJP, who he said puts "development" as "priority".

Here are the highlights of PM Narendra Modi's speech in Fatehpur:

• During 2014 polls, Cong came to ask votes in the name of cylinders.
• 1.15 crore people gave up their LPG subsidy. My mother used to cook food using wood, I used to feel bad about it.
• I made up my mind that I will give free LPG connection to poor if elected to power.
• 1.45 cr poor people got LPG connection after we came to power.
• We have shown that even in a poor guy's hut there can be a gas connection.
• Samajwadi Party has insulted Ram Manohar Lohiya with a tie-up with Congress.
• There was a time when farmers had to face hurdles to get urea. We neem coated urea and stopped its black marketing.
• You all were being looted in the past over LED bulbs. You were charged 300 to 400 rupees for a bulb. After we came to power, we ensured that the poor gets LED bulbs at a cheap price. Now you get them at Rs 80 to Rs 90.
• We ensured that gas connections reached even the poor households. Every poor, irrespective of caste and religion, got gas connections. Not just that, we ensure that there is no discrimination on the basis of caste and religion.
• People come to you asking for votes on the basis of caste and religion. We are the only party which works towards sabka saath, sabka vikas. It is the responsibility of a government to ensure that there is no discrimination. We are determined to do that.
• Why is it that for securing jobs, one has to bribe? This must end. Youth should get jobs on the basis of their merits.