\'Fake samajwadis\' will stop development: Modi in UP

New Delhi: Dubbing the Samajwadi Party (SP) as “fake samajwadis,” whose development model will “create problems and devour everything in the name of sympathy,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for developing all regions of the state equally without any discrimination.

Hours later, Mr Modi, who was virtually addressing rallies in three western UP districts – Bijnor, Moradabad and Amroha – cautioned the voters of another poll-bound state, Uttarakhand, to not allow criminals and mafias, who are running from the fear of law from the neighbouring state, to settle in “Devbhoomi" (Land of the Gods) by giving a change to the Congress in the upcoming polls.

The PM also made it clear that Pushkar Singh Dhami will continue as the CM in Uttarakhand and assured people that under Mr Dhami’s leadership the BJP will "continue providing a fast-paced development government in the state."

After virtually addressing the 'Jan Chaupal' in UP, the PM virtually addressed 'Vijay Sankalp Sabhas' in Uttarakhand. The PM also accused the Congress of mixing the “poison of appeasement” in "Devbhomi" and mentioned the remark of a senior Congress leader that the party will construct a Muslim university in the state, which has created a major controversy. He also accused the Congress of disturbing the culture and identity of the hill state.

The PM, who was to address a physical rally in UP Bijnore which had to be cancelled due to bad weather, virtually addressed the three western UP districts where he took a dig at previous governments in the state saying the “river of development” had stopped before 2017 due to the dynastic approach of “fake samajwadis.” He referred to a poem of famous poet Dushyant Kumar who hailed from the region to attack the previous regime.

He also accused the BJP's political opponents of wrongfully claiming the legacy of farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh. UP CM Yogi Adityanath physically attended the rally in Bijnor and addressed the people.

“In the coming 25 years, when the country will complete 100 years of its Independence, UP should wave its flag with golden tales of development... The model of the previous governments was to create problems and then gobble up everything in the name of sympathy. Farmers, youth, poor, Dalit and the oppressed were troubled by this model,” said the PM.

Urging farmers to ask those trying to “mislead” them about how much electricity was given to villages in their area when they were in power, Mr Modi said, “I would like to remind the farmers and the entire west UP of one more thing. Today people who are trying to mislead you, ask them that when they were in power, how much electricity was given to this area and to your villages? The government at the Centre and the BJP government of UP is committed to bring back the honour and rights of the farmer brothers.”

Later, while addressing the rally in Uttarakhand, Mr Modi asked the voters to keep in mind the history and future of the hill state before casting their vote on February 14. Insisting that he has a “special connect” with Devbhomi, Mr Modi accused the Congress of committing a “sin” by holding back the development in the state for many years and claimed that those who had opposed the creation of the state will only take a revenge by looting its resources if come to power.