For some priority is to cut ribbons: Modi takes a dig at Akhilesh Yadav over Saryu canal project

Modi's remark came in the backdrop of Yadav's claim that under his rule major works of the Saryu Canal irrigation project were done

Prime minister Narendra Modi and Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused each other of taking credit for the developmental projects in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the forthcoming assembly polls in the state which was scheduled to be held early next year.

Modi, who inaugurated the Saryu Canal Project in UP's Balrampur district, about 300 kilometres from here, took potshots at Akhilesh without taking his name saying that some people only knew about ribbon cutting. ''Maybe he (Akhilesh) had cut the ribbon of this (Saryu Canal Project) also,'' Modi said in a sarcastic vein.

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''I had been waiting since morning that someone would come forward and claim that he had cut the ribbon of this project....some people have a habit of taking credit for others' works....maybe he had cut the ribbon of this project in his childhood,'' the prime minister said taking a dig at Akhilesh.

Modi sought to woo the farmers also and said that the project would go a long way in benefitting the farmers. ''It is our top priority that the waters of the rivers are put to optimum use and the fields of the farmers get enough water for irrigation,'' he added.

He alleged that the previous regimes tried to create obstacles in the way of the project and as a result, huge amounts of public money was wasted. ''What pains me most is the misuse of the resources, money and time of the country...those who misused public money are liable to be punished,'' he remarked.

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Akhilesh hit back at Modi almost immediately and termed his government as 'kainchijeevi' (cutting ribbons with scissors). ''The difference is clear...some people only know how to take credit for others' work.....BJP should make it clear how many of the promises that it had made to the people during the previous polls have been fulfilled,'' he asked.

The SP president also accused the BJP of misusing government events for the purpose of election campaigning. ''No political party had misused the government events as the BJP,'' he added.

Akhilesh said that the district magistrates had been entrusted with the task of arranging buses to bring people to the PM events and wondered if the saffron party had organised any real public meetings so far. Akhilesh's allegations came in the wake of reports that UP Roadways buses were being used to ferry the people to the inaugurations and launching of developmental programs by the PM and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

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