UP stuck in temple-mosque, caste-religion quagmire: Manmohan

Lakhimpur Kheri/Bahraich, Apr 20 (UNI) Castigating the non-Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh in the last 15 years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today lamented that the state was stuck in the quagmire of temple-mosque and caste-religion issues which had only resulted in lop-sided development in the state.

''UP could not develop due to vested interests of non-Congress governments and is trailing all other states in several development parameters,'' Mr Singh said while addressing election meetings here.

Urging the electorate to support Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her Amethi MP son Rahul Gandhi, he exhorted them for renewing the bond with the party.

''Temple-mosque slogans do not feed the hungry, it only harms the society. Blood was shed in its name. Politics of religion was played, aimed at dividing the society...this thing is still on,'' he warned.

Mr Singh reminded that UP produced several PMs in post-independent India such as Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

''These leaders made all efforts for speedy development in the biggest state of the country,'' he added.

Dr Singh claimed that people were better off in states ruled by Congress. ''Only Congress is a people-oriented party, which treats the masses on an equal footing.'' ''UP figured high on the development tally after independence and subsequent Congress governments worked hard to maintain its position...sadly, the non-Congress governments have led to the deterioration of the state.'' MORE UNI