Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at the INDI alliance in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the SP and the Congress can stoop to any level in their pursuit of votes and power.

“The prince of SP had once said that he would stop the entry of the mafia but ended up making them sit in his lap. He nurtured mafias instead. Within the INDI alliance, all parties exhibit traits of being extremely communal, casteist, and promote nepotism within their own families,” he charged.

Modi said that as long as he is alive, he will staunchly defend the reservation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Modi is the watchman of the rights of the deprived, he added.

Besides, the PM said, “Congress obstructed the recognition of Baba Saheb with the Bharat Ratna. They united to defeat a Dalit President. The members of the INDI alliance are engaged in looting the reservation rights of Dalits and backward communities. They are trying to snatch the reservation of Pasi, Noniya, Yadav, Bind, Kurmi, and Patel by giving reservation to Muslims in Karnataka overnight. Reservation for backward classes was given to Muslims”.

Addressing an election meeting here in support of BJP candidate Parasnath Rai, the PM said that the Congress had even made fun of the dignity of the Army soldiers.

“Every effort was made to fool them. When the BJP nominated me as the PM candidate in 2013, I had announced to implement One Rank One Pension in Haryana. This shook the Congress as it had insulted the ex-servicemen. Whether it was Ghazipur, UP, or the entire country, the leaders of the family started building palace after palace for their family, while the rural poor, farmers and deprived people continued to struggle for basic necessities of life. Modi has brought 25 crore people out of poverty in ten years,” he claimed.

Modi said that earlier, the mafia freely roamed around in vehicles with red beacons, and riots had become synonymous with UP’s identity. Traders and businessmen suffered losses due to this. The SP nurtured mafias and gave them tickets.

He said that similar habits persist within the SP and Congress as their priorities revolve around nepotism, casteism, and corruption.

Modi said, “Remember how Congress used to run governments. The foundation stone of Tadighat was laid by Gahmari Babu, yet the project remained pending for six decades despite INDI alliance parties forming governments in succession. But the bridge was not built. This bridge was constructed when you gave Modi a chance to serve. It was my good fortune to fulfil Babuji’s dream and come here to inaugurate it. The Congress has expertise in postponing projects and disregarding rights. It also did not allow the implementation of One Rank and One Pension scheme for our army personnel.”

PM Modi said that the old people of Ghazipur are well aware of how Gahmari ji endured the pain.

“With tears in his eyes, he recounted to Nehru ji how the people here used to collect wheat in the cow dung. Political dramas unfolded in the Congress government; the Patel Commission was formed to throw dust in the eyes of the people, yet the files gathered dust without any action. In contrast, our government is giving free ration to every poor. Even during the Covid crisis, the government arranged food for everyone. We allocate lakhs of crores of rupees for free ration so that no poor person faces problems,” he claimed.

The PM remarked that the legacy of Ghazipur, exemplified by figures like Brigadier Usman, and the very name of the village of Ghazipur, are enough to illustrate that brave men hail from every house.

“I have had the privilege of being among you on numerous occasions. Whether it was during my tenure with an organisation, or as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, or while striving for development during the Lok Sabha elections, there is an incident that I recall time and again. This incident serves as a testament to how the people of the INDI alliance betrayed Ghazipur. After independence, Congress had promised to develop the area but failed to deliver. The people here were forced to live in poverty. The elders here are well aware of the problems,” he said.

“I have not come to Ghazipur for campaigning; I’m here to seek blessings from my parents and all of you. The potential of the entire UP and Ghazipur, known even to the borders of the country, surpasses what historians can recount. It resonates with tales of valour and bravery,” he said, adding that for the people of Kashi, coming to Ghazipur is like visiting the adjacent locality.