Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat over a recent campaign video that portrays Mr. Rawat as Bahubali , the hero from the Telugu film that was a massive hit.
Mr. Modi said, “In politics, the word bahubali has a negative connotation, but the standard of politics has fallen so low that there are such politicians in this State who don’t feel ashamed to call themselves Bahubali .”
The video, which went viral on social media, depicts Mr. Rawat as “saviour of Uttarakhand” and Mr. Modi as a person who bows down to Mr. Rawat after witnessing his valour.
“The entire country has seen on TV how he [Mr. Rawat] has been involved in corrupt activities, but that man [Mr. Rawat] has no shame,” Mr. Modi said, referring to the sting operation that purportedly showed Mr. Rawat’s involvement in horse trading.
Badaun stop
Mr. Modi continued with his marathon campaigning in Uttar Pradesh too. At a rally in Badaun, Mr. Modi criticised Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying he had shown only bure din [bad days] to the State. Mr. Modi said Akhilesh Yadav blows his trumpet with the slogan kaam bolta hai (actions speak) but actually it was not his actions but the notoriety of his goondaraj that speaks louder. He alleged that Mr. Yadav had sheltered “goons” in the State.
Highlighting the backwardness of Badaun, Mr. Modi said it was one of the 100 backward districts. “I had heard about Badaun while I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. I want to ask SP, BSP and Congress as to how come development could not reach this place during their rule”.
While raising the infamous gang-rape that happened in Badaun, Mr. Modi said that no women was safe under the SP regime.
