Campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to the Election Commission (EC) and voters in the State to take note of Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra’s reported comments in a media interview that the ruling party of West Bengal had allied with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) in Goa to prevent consolidation of Hindu votes.
Mr. Modi urged voters to “bury this type of politics” and asked if this “bhed bhav” and “this language” belonged to a democracy.
“Look at the audacity! Is this democracy and secularism? You are openly saying that you want to divide Hindu votes. So, whose votes do you want to gather,” Mr. Modi asked in Kanpur Dehat.
Mr. Modi’s remarks were targeted at Ms. Moitra, who in an interview to a daily newspaper on February 12, said her party had “prevented a consolidation of Hindu votes by tying up with the MGP.”
Moitra’s tweet
Ms. Moitra was responding to a question that the Trinamool appeared to be splitting the non-BJP votes in the State. When contacted, the Trinamool MP said she had nothing to say beyond her tweet in response to Mr. Modi’s attack. “Saffron sahibs are masters of twisting truth to suit own convenience. Am happy that on this otherwise dull Valentine’s Day I have given Hon’ble PM & his troll army something to be excited about,” Ms. Moitra tweeted.
Cites four things
Mr. Modi said that after two phases of voting in Uttar Pradesh he was sure of four things. First, the BJP government, “Yogiji ki Sarkar”, was coming back to power. Second, all castes, communities, sections, rural or urban have pushed the BJP forward without getting divided or falling for any misconception. Third, women have “picked up the flag” in support of the BJP to ensure their security and honour. Fourth, the Prime Minister said, “Our Muslim sisters” are stepping out of their homes, “quietly and without making any noise to bless Modi.”
The Prime Minister also questioned the loyalty of the Samajwadi Party (SP) towards its allies and asked people if they could trust a party which dumped its partner after every election. “They come to every election with a new partner and try to walk on the shoulder of the new partner,” Mr. Modi said in a veiled attack on the SP’s alliance. “Those who change their allies, how can they ally with you,” the Prime Minister asked, stressing that after losing this election the SP and its allies would blame each other for defeat.
