Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the “men lying on the road drunk” remarks and said it was shocking to hear the word ‘nashedi’ (intoxicated) to describe the youth of Uttar Pradesh.
“They spent a decade abusing Modi. But now they started taking out their frustration on the common people. Such people who are not in their own senses are calling the youths of Kashi and U.P. as addicts/drunkards,” said the PM, without naming Mr. Gandhi, at a function in Varanasi.
Mr. Modi strongly condemned the comment, which Mr. Gandhi made during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, adding that no one will forget this insult of the youth.
‘Scared of common youth’
“Someone hailing from a dynasty is always scared by the common youth’s power and now they have other reasons to not like Uttar Pradesh after Ram Mandir’s inauguration. They dislike Ayodhya and Kashi. I did not know Congress had so much hatred towards Lord Ram. They can’t see anything beyond family and vote bank,” said Mr. Modi, adding that the people of the State will give a befitting reply to those insulting U.P.
Targeting the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, the PM alleged that members of the Opposition believe in instigating people in the name of caste.
“They join hands before each election but this time they will have to struggle to save even their [election] deposits. Uttar Pradesh has decided to give all seats to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Our third term will be the strongest one. India will reach new heights of development by becoming the third largest economy in the next five years,” said Mr. Modi.
Mr. Gandhi, while addressing a public meeting in Amethi during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, said: “You [youngsters of Uttar Pradesh] have no work. You are seeking employment [he showed one such poster held by a worker standing beside him]. I saw in Varanasi that young men were lying on the road drunk.”
₹13,000 crore-worth projects
Mr. Modi, who was in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, inaugurated and laid the foundation of development projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore including multiple roads, a cooking gas bottling plant, a milk processing unit, a silk fabric printing common facility centre for weavers and the foundation stone of a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).
The PM added that it gives him immense happiness when Varanasi gets praised across the globe while reiterating that U.P. remained neglected for decades under Opposition-ruled governments. “Uttar Pradesh and Kashi remained neglected for decades due to the politics of parivarvaad [dynastic politics], corruption and appeasement,” the PM added.
Earlier, Mr. Modi attended a public function commemorating the 647th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas and stated that the Union government is taking forward the teachings and ideals of Sant Ravidas while following the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, aur Sabka Prayas’.
Inaugurating a newly installed statue of Sant Ravidas, the PM said: “Our government is working with clear intention for the development of needy people and particularly for the members of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
