Mulayam denounces Modi over 2002 Gujarat riots

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav Sunday launched a scathing attack on the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, blaming him for the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.

Addressing a large election rally here, Yadav thundered: "You first carry out a massacre of the Muslim community and then apologise? You feel they (Muslims) are fools?"

Mualayam Singh Yadav was referring to BJP president Rajnath Singh's overtures to Muslims ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose son Akhilesh Yadav is the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, blamed Modi -- who is still the Gujarat chief minister -- for the "atrocities" of 2002 when communal riots left more than 1,000 people dead.

He alleged that Modi had warned that he (Mualayam Singh Yadav) might get killed if he visited Gujarat during the violence.

"You had threatened me that if you lose your life, we will not be responsible. Despite being told that, I went to Gujarat," the Samajwadi Party veteran said.

Claiming that Modi's charisma would not work in Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav hit out at the so-called Gujarat model of development.

"There is nothing in Gujarat... Experts have said that the most dirty and polluted rivers are in Gujarat."

He made light of the crowds packing Modi's rally Sunday in Lucknow. "You should compete on the basis of development rather than the crowds."

Mualayam Singh Yadav insisted that Modi would never become the prime minister.

"The BJP does not even have candidates... They are breaking the Congress

and other parties and giving people from these parties ticket," he added.

Mualayam Singh Yadav did not spare the Congress party.

"The Congress has no policies for the poor and the minorities. Even the boundaries of the country are not safe in its hands," he added.

Addressing the same rally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said his government had undertaken several welfare schemes which were now being aped by other state governments.

He promised that by the year-end, Allahabad city would have a new 2,000 MW capacity power plant.