Will end 'gundaraj' in UP if voted to power, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the BJP will end the 'gundaraj' (lawlessness) in Uttar Pradesh if it is voted to power in the state in the assembly elections due early next year.

Addressing a 'Parivartan Rally' (transformation rally) here through mobile phone, Modi said: "Today there is 'gundaraj' in the state. Everyone is fed up of this lawlessness. Even police is unable to stop the 'gundas' (goons)."

"If you have to take your state forward, you will have to throw out those backing these 'gundas'. And the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will do that," Modi said, targeting the ruling Samajwadi Party.

The Prime Minister said he cannot understand the discomfort of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) at the central government's fight against black money.

"They (SP and BSP) are seldom on the same page on an issue. But nowadays, they are speaking in one voice. I can't understand the reason for their discomfort at the fight against black money," he said.

Modi addressed the rally through mobile phone from the state capital as his chopper could not land here due to low visibility and returned to Lucknow.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to address the rally at 1.00 p.m, but he could finally address it only around 3.00 p.m. through a mobile phone, which was placed near the microphone at the venue, as other senior state BJP functionaries, including state party unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, stood in rapt attention on the dais.

Modi accused the opposition of stalling Parliament and not letting the government put forth its viewpoint on demonetisation.

"We are ready for a debate (on demonetisation) but we are not being allowed to present our views by those very parties that have been rejected by the voters," he said.

However, Modi said that his fight against black money and graft would go on and all those hoarding unaccounted money would be caught in the coming days.

"My government is all for the poor," he stressed.

This was the fifth Parivartan Rally Modi addressed in Uttar Pradesh, where elections to the assembly are due early next year. He has already addressed such rallies in Ghazipur, Agra, Kushinagar and Moradabad.

The Prime Minister's next rally is scheduled in Kanpur for December 19.

Strict security arrangements were in place for the Prime Minister, with the local police and security personnel forming multiple layers of security around the rally site here.

--IANS

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