Congress put 'terror' tag on Hindus: Modi

Addressing an election rally, days after the nomination of Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur as the BJP candidate for Bhopal, Modi said the Congress and its supporters used the term “Hindu terror” to malign an ancient culture.

“Terrorists from Pakistan used to set off blasts, carry out attacks. But instead of acting against them, the Congress and its companions would get busy in putting the terrorist stamp on Hindus,” Modi said in Bareilly, referring to the tenure of the UPA government.

“The world has never pointed a finger at our great culture of thousands of years. These people have done the disgusting sin of maligning it,” he added.

He said while the world does not link any religion with terrorism, the Congress and” its sycophants” had knit “a web of torture and oppression” by invoking “Hindu terror”.

Modi, however, did not directly refer to terror-accused Pragya Singh Thakur, who has alleged that she was implicated in a false case and beaten in custody.

Earlier, at another rally in Etah, the prime minister attacked the opposition coalition in Uttar Pradesh, seemingly reacting to BSP leader Mayawati's jibe that he is a “farzi” (fake) backward class member.

He said the 'farzi dosti' (fake friendship) between the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party will fall apart the day election results are announced.

"You all remember the friendship that was struck during the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh that came to an end with the announcement of the results and turned into rivalry,” he said referring to the understanding in 2017 between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

“The farzi dosti of ‘bua' and `babua' will also end the same way," Modi said at an election rally in Etah, referring to Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

"The date of this friendship has also been fixed. May 23, Thursday, this ‘farzi dosti' (fake friendship) will fall apart,” he said.

“That day `bua' and `babua' will start part 2 of their rivalry," the prime minister said.

At the joint rally of the opposition alliance in Mainpuri Friday, Mayawati had called SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav “a real backward” unlike Modi, a `farzi' or `naqli' backward.

Attacking the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said those thinking of their selfish gains can never think about the welfare of the deprived sections of society.

“By doing politics in the name of the poor they have only increased their own bank balances," he claimed.

"Only the flags of the SP and the BSP are different, their intentions are the same,” he said, and referred to the period when an SP or a BSP government was in power in Uttar Pradesh.

“The governments used to change, and the `goondas' and the gangs of encroachers also changed,” he alleged.

“At the time of the `bua' it was corruption, and during the time of `babua' atrocities were committed on Dalits,” he said.

"During the SP government it was difficult for sisters and daughters to go to school, and this has been seen by the entire country,” he claimed.

“It must have been a really difficult decision for Mayawati to ask for votes for such people," he said.

Mayawati had said Friday that despite the state guest house episode, she took the difficult decision in the interest of the people and party's movement.

In 1995, SP workers had allegedly attacked Mayawati when she was staying at the Lucknow guest house, leading to over two decades of bitterness between her and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The two leaders Friday shared the dais, signalling to their supporters that they were no longer rivals.

Modi said the SP and the BSP wrongly believed their vote banks can be transferred “as per their convenience”.

"It has been proved in the first two phases of polling that their game is over,” he claimed. “They thought they are the 'thekedars' (middlemen) of voters but the people have foiled their plan."

He said those who do politics by dividing people over caste and creed forget that when it comes to development and national security, UP gives a befitting reply in such cases.

“All the `mahamilavati' people will be sent home,” he said.

The prime minister said when Akhilesh Yadav was chief minister he did not send to the Delhi the list of intended beneficiaries under the Centre's housing scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna.

Taking a swipe at Yadav over reports last year that his official residence in Lucknow had expensive bathroom fittings, Modi said he must have been beautifying his own bungalow then.

Modi said patriotism for the BJP is ensuring the country's security and saving it from middlemen.

The SP, the BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal have forged an alliance to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in UP.

Etah and Bareilly are among the constituencies that go to the polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.