Shah, Rajnath, Yogi hold Vijay Sankalp rallies across State
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday began its Lok Sabha campaign in a big way in Uttar Pradesh with senior party leaders, including party chief Amit Shah, holding Vijay Sankalp rallies across the State invoking nationalism in the context of Modi Government response to the Pulwama terror attack.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a rally in Lucknow from where he is seeking re-election, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed a gathering in Saharanpur, the constituency that will go to polls in first phase on April 11. Another Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi addressed a meeting in Rampur.
“In this election Opposition is defaming the valour of Indian Army. This is not acceptable to the people of this country. The people will teach a bitter lesson to the political parties who are raising questions about Pulwama attacks and subsequent Indian action,” Shah said while addressing a rally in Agra.
Incidentally, all the top leaders of the BJP referred to Pulwama attack and Pakistan in their addresses. Rajnath too accused some Opposition parties for questioning Armed forces in the wake of the IAF air strike inside Pakistan after Pulwama terror attack.
“Some leaders are asking how many people were killed in that attack. This is questioning as if whether air strike had actually happened or not,” he said. Yogi even equated one of the candidates in Saharanpur as damaad (son-in law) of Azhar Masood and asked people to defeat the candidates who talk the language of terrorists.
Uttar Pradesh, a home to 22 crore people, sends maximum 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In 2014 election, the saffron party with its ally Apna Dal won 73 seats with the BJP bagging 71 constituencies. This year the party has set a target to win 74 seats.
“For the sake of vote back the Opposition is questioning Indian Army. India needs a Prime Minister who can give a befitting reply to Pakistan and terrorism. After India used air force to destroy terror camps inside the Pak territory, the country now realises that the Modi Government will not be a mute spectator to Pak-sponsored terrorism ,” BJP national president Shah said.
He said till date there were only two countries in the world who had taken revenge of death of their soldiers in terrorist attacks. “These were United States and Israel, and India’s name has been added to this list. Shah also attacked the Congress, the SP and the BSP saying these parties ran Governments that were corrupt and squandered money for personal gain,” he said.
The rally held at the Agra College ground was attended by MP from Agra Ramshankar Katheria, whose has been denied ticket. In his place SPS Baghel is the party candidate.