Azamgarh linked to terror until 2014, BJP removed tag: Narendra Modi

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With voting to be held on May 12, the BJP’s Dinesh Lal Yadav, a Bhojpuri star also known as Nirahua, is up against Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in the Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency.

“Yahan jo SP aur BSP ke neta the, jo Dilli mein sarkaar thi, woh sirf vote ke liye atankwaad madadgaron ko panaah de rahen the. Karyawai ke samay par atankiyon ka bhi jaat paat, pant, sampraday dekha jaata tha, aur usi ke tarazoo par tola jaata tha. (SP and BSP leaders were in power here. The government in Delhi used to shelter people who aided terrorists for the sake of votes. While taking action, caste, community, and religion would be considered).”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Purulia, Thursday. ANI

The Prime Minister alleged that leaders indulging in “vote bank politics” in the name of religion have put the country in danger. “These people gave Pakistan an upper hand. Why was Azamgarh always associated with terror before 2014 and after 2014, there have been no links? What is the reason?” he said.

Modi also claimed that terrorism after 2014 has been confined to Jammu and Kashmir and some areas near the border. “This has happened because our government has kept the welfare of the country as the top priority. We entered Pakistan and attacked them. Did we do the right thing?… This is a new India,” he said. He claimed that under his government, the entire world sided with India on declaring Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist.

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“At one point the world used to hesitate in standing with us. Today, against a terrorist like Masood Azhar, the entire world is standing with us. This is what a strong government means,” he said. Modi also spoke about smartphones becoming cheap in India because they are manufactured in the country.

Later, at a rally in Jaunpur, the Prime Minister targeted the gathbandhan in the state, reiterating that BSP chief Mayawati was being cheated, and would understand the game being played after May 23.

“Five years ago in Jaunpur, Behenji had said that the son is more venomous than the father… Then tell us Behenji, are you doing the rounds to distribute that poison among poor, Dalits, who are exploited, those suffering, deprived?” he said.

“I have come to know that bua and babua, who do not care about the country’s security, asked me to rest. They are pained because of me. They think that if Modi rests, they will benefit. Buaji and babuaji, whether Modi rests or not, how will you stop this love from people. When someone gets used to rest, their politics is confined to 30-35 seats.”

Modi also recalled the Shramjeevi Express blast in 2005 in Jaunpur and said, “Can Jaunpur forget the day when there was bomb blast in Shramjeevi Express. More than a dozen innocent people were killed. Before 2014, terrorists trained in Pakistan used to intimidate India. But, in the last five years, this has been restricted to Naxal-hit areas and J&K.”