UP polls: PM Modi turns ‘Katappa’ for ‘bahubalis’

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, warned that ‘bahubalis’ will not be able to treat jails as a safe haven after March 11.

“Why is it so that when a ‘bahubali’ goes to jail, he smiles and poses for cameras? This is because he is safe inside and can carry out his activities without getting nailed. He gets all the comfort. All this is going to stop after March 11,” the Prime Minister said while addressing a rally in Mau.

Mau, incidentally, is the stronghold of mafia don-turned -politician Mukhtar Ansari who is contesting the seat on a BSP ticket. Mr Ansari, currently in jail, was denied custody parole by the Delhi High court on Monday to campaign for himself in the elections.

The BJP, ironically, does not have a candidate here because the papers of its nominee were rejected during the scrutiny.

The Prime Minister further drew a parallel between the local ‘bahubali’ (read Mukhtar Ansari) and the film by the same name.

“In the film, ‘Katappa’ kills Bahubali and after March 11, the stick of the law will deal with the Bahubalis. Those who give tickets to such people are making a mockery of democracy”, he said and asked the people to send his message to all such elements that times had changed.

Mr Modi also asked the people to punish SP, Congress and BSP for the backwardness of eastern UP or Purvanchal.

He said that in 1962, the then MP from Ghazipur, Vishwanath Gahmari, had narrated the plight of Purvanchal and the extent of poverty. “Pandit Nehru was so moved by the MP’s speech that he set up the Patel Committee to suggest ways of developing Purvanchal. It has been fifty years but no action has been taken on that report which suggested a railway line between Mau and Ghazipur. We have started work on that railway line and also a rail cum road bridge on the Ganga river,” he said.

Criticizing UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Mr Modi said that the Centre had given `18,000 crore for power to the state government but half of it remains unspent.

“One leader recently said his comment on donkey was a joke. Are police stations turning into Samajwadi office a joke? Are murders, loot and crime against women a joke? You can make fun of me if it gives you a sound sleep  but you have turned Uttar Pradesh into a joke in five years,” he said.

Mr Modi said the Samajwadis were afraid of losing and, therefore, entered into an alliance with a sinking ship.