Echoing union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s campaign line in Uttar Pradesh, union minister Smriti Irani said the Samajwadi Party was equivalent to “lawlessness and goondaraj”.
Referring to the alleged threats made by SP candidate Adil Chaudhary, who is contesting the polls from Meerut (South), Irani said “criminalisation of politics” was the very foundation of the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP, and that it could never change.
The union minister lashed out at the SP for promoting criminalization when asked about Akhilesh’s statement that he would fight for farmers’ rights, and he was even carrying a ‘laal potli’ signifying ‘ann sankalp’ to “defeat” the BJP.
During her door-to-door campaigning for BJP candidate Amit Agrawal in Meerut Cantonment assembly seat, Irani told CNN-News18, “I think the kind of politics Samajwadi Party does is evident in Meerut, where an SP candidate literally threatened people to vote for the party, or face consequences. That is a manifestation of how criminalization of politics is the very foundation of Samajwadi Party.”
Known as the giant slayer in UP for defeating Congress scion Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections, Irani took a dig at Akhilesh for his silence on videos being circulated, of SP candidates issuing threats to those who do not support them.
Asked about Akhilesh’s reason that it was a “BJP conspiracy” when his helicopter was stopped, Irani took a jibe at the SP’s party symbol of a bicycle. “Uski cycle puncture hai. Uska helicopter kyun nahin udd raha hai, usse zyada chintit hai? State mein criminal elements kaise dhamka rahe hai janta ko uspar koi tippani nahi kar raha hai (His cycle is punctured. He is more concerned about his helicopter not flying than criminal elements threatening voters. He doesn’t want to comment on that),” she said.
Irani, while speaking to CNN-News18 also said fear of losing in the elections was making Yadav “see Lord Krishna in his dreams”. The former CM had earlier said Krishna had appeared in his dreams to tell him that the SP will form the government in UP this time.
“Aaj kal unke sapne mein Krishna bhagwan aa rahe hain, unko lagta hai matra dharm ke naam par akarshit karenge. Chor chori se jaaye seena jori se na jaayen (They dream of Krishna and think they can attract people in the name of religion),” Irani added.
But, she repeated her point on the SP giving patronage to criminals. “The way SP leaders threatened people in Meerut is proof of the party’s working culture.”
Irani, while introducing the BJP candidate to the people, said she was fortunate to come out here with folded hands as people were the “king in democracy”. Amid slogans of ‘Save Hindus and Hindutva’, Irani said, “Samaaj ka har person jo parivaar ko surakshit rakhna chahta hai nishchit roop se bhajpa ko vote dega (Everyone who wants to keep their families safe will vote for the BJP).”
Earlier in the day, Irani addressed a gathering of key voters where she cautioned them against voting for the SP. “Will you be able to bear the burden of the when a girl is raped, if you vote for the wrong side? Will you be able to bear the burden of witnessing the funeral bear of a young man (who died saving girls from criminals)?” Irani asked them.
With law and order as it strongest plank, the BJP is attacking the SP for “harbouring” criminals. The union minister, too, restricted her comments to attacking Yadav for his silence on criminal threats by his party’s candidates, while categorically avoiding comments on farmers and Jats.
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