Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has once again stoked controversy when she announced the “ABCD category system” to demarcate voters and accordingly reward them after the elections.
Addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, where her son Varun is contesting as the BJP candidate, she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI as “We win in Pilibhit every time, so what is the parameter that we work more for one village and less for the other. The parameter is that we segregate all villages as A, B, C, and D. The village where we get 80 per cent votes is A, the village in which we get 60 per cent is B, the village in which we get 50 per cent is C and the village where we get less than 50 per cent is D. The development work first happens in all A category villages. Then comes B and only after work in B is done, we start with C. So this is up to you whether you make it to A, B or C and no one should come in D because we all have come here to do good.”
Gandhi is contesting from Sultanpur, which is the parliamentary constituency of her son Varun Gandhi. While the BJP shifted Gandhi to Sultanpur, her son was given a ticket from Pilibhit.
Earlier last week, Maneka Gandhi kicked off a major controversy when she told the Muslims in Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh to vote for her if they wanted her to get their work done after she wins from the constituency.
Addressing a Muslim rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur from where she is contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2019, Gandhi claimed that she will win with or without the support from Muslims.
“This is important. I am winning. I am winning because of the love and support of people. But if my victory is without Muslims, dil khatta ho jayega (Things will become sour). Then when a Muslim comes to me for work, I will think ‘let it be’, how does it matter,” she was seen telling a small crowd of supporters.
In a 1.16-minute video of her speech that was shot Sultanpur’s Turabkhani area, Gandhi is seen telling the people, “It’s all give and take, isn’t it? We aren’t all sons of Mahatma Gandhi, are we? It’s not that we keep on giving and then losing in the election. This victory will happen with or without you. I have already won this election, now it is for you to decide.”
According to sources, Sultanpur’s District Magistrate has issued a show-cause notice after the Election Commission took cognisance of the matter and asked Gandhi to explain her remarks.
Earlier, Maneka Gandhi landed herself in controversy after she called BSP supremo Mayawati a “merchant of tickets” and accused her of taking Rs 15-20 crore from party leaders who are given tickets.