Criminals hoping SP will will UP elections: PM Modi at virtual rally

New Delhi, Feb 7: New Delhi, Feb 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took on the Samajwadi Party over the development-related issue and the law and order situation during an online election campaign ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls.

Addressing a virtual rally, PM Modi said, "The water in the river of development in UP was stagnant. It was stagnating among the fake 'Samajwadis' & their close ones. These people never had anything to do with the thirst of the development of common man, the thirst of progress, the thirst of freedom from poverty."

"All they did was to keep quenching their own thirst and that of their close ones. They kept quenching the thirst of their own coffers. This selfish thirst soaks all streams of the river of development: PM Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Bijnor," he said.

Indicating that BJP is developing UP with a clear vision for the state, PM Modi further stated, "We want that in the next 25 yers, when the nation would complete 100 years of independence, UP make a mark with its development story. Our govt is making continuous efforts to see that the businessmen, industrialists, farmers here get all possible help."

The Prime Minister was scheduled to travel to Uttar Pradesh to address "Jan Chaupal Rally". However, the plans went for a change due to "bad weather."

"First of all, I'd like to apologise to you. After some relaxation by the EC, I had thought of beginning my campaign by coming to Bijnor (UP) in person. But due to weather conditions, my helicopter couldn't leave and I could see you only through video conferencing once again," he said.

The PM targeted the SP over the law and order situation during their previous regimes.

"During CM Yogi's tenure, criminals themselves ran to jails and demanded that they be locked up. They have been waiting for these elections for years. They have just one hope, that the elections come soon and there is a change of govt so that they can come out of jail. They're hoping for the old 'mafia raj' govt to come back. Criminals who had run out of UP, are hoping for govt to change so that they can come back. These criminals want reimbursement from the people of UP for their dacoity and loot business which is shut for the last 5 years," Modi said.

Talking about the safety of women under Yogi's rule, the PM said molestation of women was very common earlier. "Situation was so bad that after incidents of chain snatching, people were thankful that they were still alive. CM Yogi's govt freed women from that fear. We gave women their true honour," he added.