Five years ago, rioters and muscle men used to be law unto themselves in UP: PM Modi

Modi said during the previous government when Western Uttar Pradesh was burning due to riots, those in power were celebrating

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday joined his party leaders in raking up the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots and the alleged 'migration' of Hindus from Kairana in his first virtual election rally ahead of the first phase of polling in western Uttar Pradesh.

Modi also targeted Samajwadi Party (SP) president and his party's main rival Akhilesh Yadav and said that some people only 'dreamt' while some others (Yogi Adityanath) worked.

Modi said that he was certain the people of the region would not allow the return of a party (Samajwadi Party) under whose regime there was no law and order in the state and mafias ruled the roost.

"No one can forget that the government of the day was celebrating when the region was rocked by communal violence," the prime minister said, apparently referring to the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar during SP president Akhilesh Yadav's regime.

Also read: Only those who keep sleeping, dream: PM Modi's dig at Akhilesh Yadav

"The rioters and musclemen ruled the streets of the state five years ago....traders were looted and the women did not venture out of their homes...people fled from their homes," he added.

Modi said that UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had worked hard to bring the state out of such a situation. "I have myself been chief minister of a state and I know that it is not an easy task," he remarked.

The prime minister said that the people of the region would not allow the return of the old situation and appealed to them to support the BJP.

Modi also sought to woo the Muslim women saying that his government had scrapped triple talaq and was committed to ensuring that the Muslim women get their rights.

The prime minister, in a significant observation, referred to small and marginal farmers and said that the time had come to take care of their needs. "We need to do more for the small farmers....they are our real strength," he added.

Modi took potshots at Akhilesh, who had a few days back said that Lord Krishna came in his dreams and told him that his party would come to power in the forthcoming assembly polls, saying that those who slept more dreamt more.

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