Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Opposition parties accusing them of indulging in the politics of vote bank, opportunism and self-interest.

In an obvious reference to the Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Prime Minister said “those who imposed the Emergency and those who opposed it have now come together”.

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Taking a dig at SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, albeit without naming them, Modi said some people in Uttar Pradesh were more concerned and worried about their bungalows rather than providing homes to the poor and homeless.

“Still more, there were parties which did not strive for peace and development but thought in terms of unrest in the hope that it would benefit them politically,” the Prime Minister added.

The prime minister made these observations at a public rally in Maghar in the Sant Kabir Nagar district of the state on the 500th death anniversary of the mystic poet Saint Kabir. The rally is being seen as a kickstart of the BJP’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Referring to the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi, the PM said two days back was the 43rd anniversary of the Emergency and those who had opposed it are now sharing the platform with the Congress. “Samajwad aur Bahujan ki baat karne walon ka satta ke prati lallach
aap dekh rahe hain (you are seeing the greed for power of those who talk about socialism and bahujan).”

“Such people do not have the welfare of society in mind but are guided by the welfare of just themselves and their families. The people of Uttar Pradesh should be on guard against them. Kabir spoke of Lord Ram in terms of a ruler, but in today’s time there were some families (pariwar) who considered themselves to be the ‘baghyavidhata’ of the people,” he said.

Referring to the teachings of Kabir (whom Modi addressed as Mahatma Kabir at one point), Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the PM said they were rooted to the ground and had the welfare of society and people in mind.

“As opposed to them were leaders who were more concerned about their majestic (alishan) bungalows (The reference being made to SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP president Mayawati who vacated their official residence after undying efforts to ensure that they could retain them),” the PM Modi said.

He said the previous government did little to implement the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, directed towards providing homes to the homeless. “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has now embarked upon the same and houses were being built for the homeless.”

Modi said some political parties were trying to create differences amongst people for their selfish interests. “They were far removed from the ground realities and the teachings of Kabir who stayed rooted to the ground and broke the shackles imposed by fundamentalist thinking with its emphasis
on caste, class etc.”

“It was on account of the relentless efforts of such saints that the country continued with its onward march to progress. Kabir not only showed the way but also awakened society. He came as a thought but became famous as a way of life. He rose from the dust and became the sandalwood of the forehead,” the PM said.

Speaking on the issue of triple talaq, Modi said the opposition spared no efforts to put hurdles in the passage of the triple talaq bill in Parliament. “This was because they did not have the welfare of the Muslim women in mind. They merely played the politics of votes,” he said.

Modi enumerated the works undertaken by his government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in the state with the guiding precept of ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’.

Earlier, on reaching Maghar from Lucknow, the Prime Minister accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered ‘chaadar’ at the mystic poet’s shrine in Kabir Chaura and then laid the foundation stone of an akademi named after Kabir. He also visited the ‘Kabir Gufa’ where the 15th
century social reformer meditated.