Mulayam hits out at Modi, says he has "blood on his hands"

Image
Press Trust of India Varanasi
Last Updated : Jan 23 2014 | 5:22 PM IST
SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today hit out at Narendra Modi for his oft-repeated remark that BJP will turn Uttar Pradesh into a Gujarat, saying he has the "blood of innocents" on his hands.
Mulayam asked BJP how could it select Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate when "atrocities and massacres" were carried out in the state ruled by him, an apparent reference to the post-Godhra riots in 2002 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
"A rally is on in Gorakhpur where the chief guest is the BJP's prime ministerial candidate. They say, they'll create a Gujarat (here). But please think again, you will not be in a position to do a Gujarat. You'll do a Gujarat, commit atrocities and massacres. Because this is what you have done there," he said addressing a rally here.
"Modi is responsible for the communal riots in Gujarat. He has the blood of innocents on his hands," he added.
SP's "Desh Bachao, Desh Banao" rally was held on a day when the Gujarat Chief Minister held his rally in Gorakhpur.
Comparing the performance of the Gujarat government with that of UP, headed by his son Akhilesh, Mulayam asked the assembled crowd to find out whether the Gujarat government had given unemployment allowances, waived loans of farmers or given special facilities to women.
"They have not done any of these....You know BJP doesn't have any other work but to spread rumours," he said. Modi has often touted the Gujarat model of development for the progress of his state.
Mulayam also reiterated that no government would be formed after the Lok Sabha elections without the Samajwadi Party(SP).
Attacking Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, the former UP Chief Minister said scams and high inflation have severely hit the economy.
"Now who is responsible for the situation even after such a long time since the country gained independence. In Delhi, barring some time, it is Congress that has been ruling and it still in power.
"What have they done in these five years? What has happened apart from scams? There have been scams, atrocities, inflation and corruption. Inflation and scams have brought the country to a standstill," Yadav said.
The SP chief said he has been a witness to several discussions on scams and inflation in Lok Sabha but it has not given any result.
"So many discussion were held on scams. And in every session there was a discussion on inflation. But they could not control inflation. It is because of inflation that thousands lost their lives and with regret I say, this happened even in UP," he said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 23 2014 | 5:22 PM IST

Next Story