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Responding to the donkey remarks made by Akhilesh, Modi said the criticism of donkeys by the UP CM only reflected his 'casteist mentality'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was amused that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was ‘afraid’ of the donkeys of Gujarat but he on his part takes inspiration from the ‘loyal’ and ‘hard working’ animal.
Responding to the donkey remarks made by the UP chief minister at a poll meeting in Raebareli three days ago, Modi said the criticism of donkeys by Akhilesh only reflected his ‘casteist mentality’ and ‘the feeling of hatred does not suit him’.
"In elections, opponents criticise each other... Akhileshji I can understand if you attack Modi and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) but I am amused that you have attacked donkeys...are you afraid of donkeys, that too these are thousands of kilometres away?" Modi said.
Addressing BJP's Vijay Shanknaad rally in Bahraich, he said, "The people of this country are my master, I take inspiration from the donkey because I work for people day and night...donkeys are loyal to their master," said.
"I am amused that your casteist mentality is also having a reflection on animals too...you found donkeys so bad...it is natural as your government is so efficient that the entire government goes about looking for buffaloes when they go missing," he said.
His reference was to the buffaloes of Samajwadi Party minister Azam Khan which had gone missing in Rampur and police tracked them down.
"This is the pehchaan (identity) of your government but you are not aware that donkeys too give us inspiration if heart and mind is clear...we can also take that inspiration, it is loyal to the master and works as much as the master asks for and is very economical," he said.
"It works even if it is ill, hungry or tired and completes the work...Akhileshji these 125 crore countrymen are my masters...I do all the work they ask me to do as I take inspiration from donkeys and take it with full pride," Modi said.
Elaborating, he said, "Donkeys do not discriminate while carrying anything on its back...whether it is a bag of sugar or bag of lime...(those who discriminate) are the ones who are neck deep in corruption."
"Akhilkesji, you might hate the donkeys of Gujarat but it was that very state which gave birth to Dayanand Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi...and Lord Krishan chose to stay," he said.
"This feeling of hatred does not suit you," he told.
Akhilesh, adding his alliance partner Congress, which led the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government, had even released a stamp on Gujarat's donkeys.
"Jinko aapne gale lagaya hai...unko bhi samajhne ka prayas kartey jab unki sarkar thi...2013 mein inhi gadho ka postal stamp nikala tha (Those whom you’ve embraced released a postal stamp on these donkeys when they were in power in 2013, you should have told the same to them then)," he said, adding it must have been clear to him by now as to how talented and important donkeys are.
At a rally in Raebareli, Akhilesh had said, "TV pe ek vigyapan aata hai jisme ek gadha aata hai. Hum sadi ke mahanayak se kahenge ki Gujarat ke gadhon ka prachar band kariye. (There comes an advertisement on television whichfeatures a donkey. I will ask the megastar of this century (Amitabh Bachchan) tostop advertising for donkeys of Gujarat)," he said.
His comments were on a tourism advertisement for Gujaratfeaturing Amitabh Bachchan which promoted wild ass.
Continuing his tirade against the 'opportunisticalliance' between the SP and the Congress, the prime ministerreferred to a recent interview of Akhilesh Yadav in which hesaid that he entered into it because of a family tiff.
"They have no concern for the future of state...he saidthat he entered into an alliance with an open heart...recentlyhe said all the elderly family members had come together todefeat him and he thought he will be saved if the SP had analliance with the Congress," Modi said.
"Akhileshji, this is not showing big heart but compulsion...you have accepted it...will they be able to save you?...twodays ago Odisha (civic polls) results proved Congress is finished, in Maharashtra(civic polls)theCongress is not visible anywhere," Modi said.
"They will sink but will take you along...people of UPnever accept opportunistic alliance...those who took out yatra saying ‘27 saal UP behaal’ and those who were behind it havecome together. What can be the fate of UP?" Modi asked.
He stressed that in democracy whoever is elected has to give performance report and account of every single paisa spent.
“Everyone has to give account of the work done and that of every single paisa spent in five years... It is half way through the elections but neither the chief minister nor his ministers are giving reply to the people about their works,” Modi said.
“Yet without any shame they come on TV and claim kaam bolta hai,” he said, adding in the SP government, it is not the kaam but karname (misdeeds) which speak.
Modi cited a story to highlight the poor condition of roads in the state.
“A rich man had a big family. When they would travel in their car, all its parts, barring the horn, would squeak. Similarly, when vehicles run on the roads in the villages of UP, it is only their tyres that speak,” he said.
On the law and order situation, he said daughters and sisters cannot move around in daylight leave alone night. “Every thana has become the office of Samajwadi Party,” he said.
“(Under these circumstances) if any small policeman wants to work with honesty, a phone call from Lucknow can take his job away... such is the state from top to bottom,” Modi said.
Corruption and black money are like a jugalbandi one cannot go without the other, he said, explaining the reason behind note ban.
Attacking the SP for fielding tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati, Modi said people chanting ‘Gayatri Prajapati Mantra’ have no right to come to power.
On the level of corruption, he cited the example of a 65-year-old woman being shown as pregnant three times for siphoning off funds.
Touching upon a local issue, Modi said the foundation of Saryu Canal Project was laid in 1978 when Indira Gandhi was prime minister but a decision has been taken only now to complete it and funds have been allotted for it.
“This is how works are done,” he added.
Hours later, Akhilesh, while addressing an election meeting in Pechpedva, said, “The prime minister is sitting on such a high post and indulging in such petty talk which does not suit him.”
Taking a dig at Modi, he said, “It seems he does not like staying in Delhi and is moving about all over UP...if he so desires, he can swap places with me.”
He added, “Piqued are only those who are faced with defeat...only those who are left behind talk about the past.”
On Modi’s remark that he is an ‘adopted son’ of UP, the chief minister said, “PM ji do not confuse our Uttar Pradesh... if you are the adopted son of UP, then we belong to this place...who is going to adopt us.”
On the prime minister’s allegations that police stations are run by SP people, Akhilesh said he does not know that it is also run through UP-100.
“We admit that there had been some shortcomings, but it will improve with UP-100 and the anomalies in the police working will be addressed,” he said.
On Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Akhilesh said, “Buaji who formed government with the BJP thrice is saying she will not go with them but the reality is that given a chance, she will once again celebrate raksha bandhan with them.”
IMAGE: PM Modi on campaign trail in UP. Photograph: PTI Photo