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As campaigning for Lok Sabha polls entered its final phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday predicted the defeat of the opposition parties, saying the people were voting for an effective government.
"Opposition parties will fall flat in polls. This is because people are voting for an effective and honest government," he said at an election rally in Kushinagar and later in Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh which go to polls in the last phase on May 19.
Attacking the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance, Modi said he had been the chief minister of Gujarat more than the terms of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati combined as Uttar Pradesh chief ministers, and there was no blot of corruption on him.
"Now these people have started demanding a certificate of my caste. I never indulge in caste politics and by your blessings, it was never needed. But when they are demanding a certificate, I tell them that I may have been born in an extremely backward caste, but my dream is to make India a front-runner (in the world).
"To all casteist leaders I would like to say my only caste is poor, my only identity is poor. I have faced poverty, felt its pain and came out of poverty. And with the blessings of the poor, I have got the opportunity to serve the country," Modi said.
"I held the post of chief minister of Gujarat for a long time and the post of prime minister has been given by you. But neither I nor my family ever misused the post or the power.
"I have been CM for a longer time when compared to the combined stint of 'bua' (Mayawati) and 'babua' (Akhilesh Yadav)," he said.
Modi said he never transformed the poverty of his family to richness.
"The post of power was used to serve the poor and work for their welfare and interest. Those who are demanding my caste certificate, they have accumulated wealth and property for themselves when they were in power.
"I have been the CM of Gujarat and prime minister for five years and my record is an open book, which is in front of the entire country," he said.
Hitting out at BSP chief Mayawati for her remarks on the Alwar gang rape case, the prime minister asked her 'not to shed crocodile tears' for the victim.
"If you are serious, why don't you withdraw support from the Congress government in Rajasthan," he asked.
Even the Congress government wanted to suppress the incident involving a Dalit woman, he said, adding that the party thought 'hua toh hua', a reference to Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Hitting out at the opposition, Modi said, "The biggest example of how the 'mahamilawat' of SP-BSP-Congress actually works is Rajasthan.
"A Dalit daughter was gang-raped and there is the government of Congress and 'naamdaar'. And the Rajasthan government is not a government which enjoys full majority. It is working with the support of BSP. It is busy in hushing up the matter."
Intensifying his attack on the Congress, he said, "The Congress which chants nyay, nyay, nyay, its naamdaar has been silenced by the rapists.
Today, the daughters of UP are asking Behenji (Mayawati), and Behanji you have to answer why you have not withdrawn your support to the Congress government (in Rajasthan). You are shedding crocodile tears by only indulging in issuing statements.
"When the (Lucknow) guest house incident happened, the entire country was pained. What is the reason that you are not feeling pained. If you are so honest about the dignity of the daughters, then you should immediately write a letter to the Rajasthan Governor and withdraw your support from the Congress government," he said.
"To punish those who commit crime on women, this chowkidaar of yours had made provisions for the capital punishment. If the intention of the Congress government was right, it would not have suppressed the Alwar incident, but they have only one answer -- 'hua toh hua'. Be it corruption, price rise or the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide, their answer is 'hua toh hua'," he said.
Referring to the encounter in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning, Modi wondered, "Will our jawans take EC's (Election Commission's) permission before opening fire at militants? Opposition ne kya khel bana rakha hai? (What drama is the opposition enacting)."
In both Kushinagar and Deoria, he said it was surprising that opposition parties were saying that elections were on and the security forces were opening fire on militants.
"In the morning when reports and news come, I learn that terrorists have been gunned down in Kashmir. Now some people are perturbed over the fact that when polling is going on today, then why did Modi kill the terrorists? They (terrorists) are standing with guns toting, will my jawan go to seek the permission of the Election Commission whether I should fire at the terrorist or not.
"Since, we have come to power every second-third day, terrorists are killed. This safai abhiyaan is my work," he said.
Seeking votes, he said it was time to make the victory historic in such a way that the 'mahamilawat' (grand adulterated) people stop thinking about facing the people in future.
He also said, "They are unable to understand why the people of the country are showering their love on the chowkidaar... It is for the fight against terror that the country is voting for the BJP and Modi. Those who used to threaten India have fallen flat, they are feeling afraid."
Modi said the SP and the BSP were incapable of taking on terrorists.
About the Congress, he said, "Congress ne pahley jawan ka sar katwaya (jawan was beheaded during Cong rule), now the party has become 'vote katwa' (vote cutter)."