Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate traded words over lions with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as both of them had a roaring debate with each other over lions from Gir that were gifted by Gujarat Government to Uttar Pradesh.
It all started in Bareilly where Modi addressed a rally on Tuesday. He said: "Uttar Pradesh CM asked for lions from Gujarat. We gave the lions, hoping he will gain some courage but we were mistaken. But the lions are caged in lucknow."
He continued amid the roar of laughter from the crowd: "I invite Chief Minister, Netaji (as Mulayam Singh is called by party leaders) his daughter-in law and brother to visit Gir to see how freely these lions roam there."
The rebuttal came an hours late from Chief Minister from lucknow, 250 km south-east of Bareilly. '' There was a barter. We have not taken the lions for free. Modi ji never reveals this. But we have given him lakarbaggha (Hyena) in exchange of lions,''. He said.
He said that those lions are now in lucknow zoo. "One day I along with my cabinet colleague Chaudhry ji (Rajendra Chaudhry) has gone to zoo to see those lions. They roared. I do not know their language. The foresters present there said that those lions have roared to welcome me and thanked me for bringing them here," he said amid a peel of laughter. Chief Minister said soon these lions would be shifted to 300 square acres lion Safari in Etawah.