Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed Friday that if the Congress party assumes power, it will demolish the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"If they come to power, they will send Ram Lalla back to a tent and bulldoze the temple," he declared.
Modi continued, "The INDIA bloc should learn from Yogi ji where to operate a bulldozer and where not to."
Highlighting the significance of a single vote in ending the 500-year wait for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Modi recalled how people used to "shed tears" and criticize the previous government when they saw "Ram Lalla in a tent."
The rally saw the attendance of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Anupriya Patel, BJP candidate for Mohanlalganj Lok Sabha constituency Kaushal Kishore, and UP cabinet minister Satish Chandra Sharma. Modi was campaigning for the party’s Barabanki candidate Rajrani Rawat and Kaushal Kishore.
The Prime Minister praised UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his administration's work, particularly initiatives like the One District, One Product (ODOP) mission. "Thanks to Yogi Ji’s ODOP mission, now I don’t have to worry about purchasing gifts when I go abroad," he said, noting that the chief minister’s cleanliness campaign has created a favorable investment climate in Uttar Pradesh.
This praise came in response to comments by Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who suggested that much like other BJP CMs, PM Modi would remove Yogi Adityanath from his position within two months of the BJP's victory.
Modi also accused the Congress of providing reservations to Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in Karnataka "overnight"—a claim he has made before.
However, media reports indicate that discussions on categorizing Muslims as OBC began in 1921, with the reservation being implemented only in 1995 under the Janata Dal (Secular)-led government.
Modi stated that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, during the drafting of the Constitution, firmly opposed reservations based on religion, a stance supported by his successors.
"All the Muslims in Karnataka were converted into OBCs overnight. Will you allow them to usurp the rights of SC, ST, and OBC communities?" he questioned.
He clarified that he did not intend to pit Hindus against Muslims but was merely pointing out the "misdeeds" of the INDIA bloc.
Modi also criticized Mamata Banerjee for her fluctuating stance on supporting the opposition alliance, saying she would provide "outside support."
He remarked that the INDIA bloc is "starting to scatter like a deck of cards," noting that the "Samajwadi prince" had found a new "aunt" in West Bengal, referring to Mamata Banerjee. “This new aunt is in West Bengal. And this aunt has told INDI Alliance that I will support you, but from outside,” Modi said.
The term ‘bua’ was previously used for Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati when she allied with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and the duo was termed 'bua-babua' in political circles. The BSP later parted ways with the SP after their alliance was defeated by the BJP.
Modi also said, “One Congress leader said that the people of Raebareli will elect the PM… ye sunte hi Samajwadi shehzade ka dil hi toot gaya, bas aansoon nahi nikle, lekin dil ke saare armaan beh gaye (the Samajwadi shehzada was heartbroken, he did not shed any tears, but his heart’s desires have been shattered)."
He urged voters to avoid wasting their votes on a "ridiculous Khichdi coalition."
Modi also spoke about the BJP government’s decision to award the Padma honor to farmer Ramsharan Verma from Barabanki, recognizing his contributions.
He noted that a “humble gift” of a Gamcha had gained significant popularity, thanks to the recognition of local products through initiatives like the UP government’s ODOP mission, which has helped various products in the state achieve Geographical Indication (GI) tags.
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