Farmers Movement Archive

Bat fast as victory is certain, says PM Modi to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

LUCKNOW: Referring to the two viral pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi walking along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, with the former placing his hand on the CM’s shoulder, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday claimed that the PM told CM Yogi to “bat fast as the victory is certain”. “You know what the PM said in Yogiji’s ear. He said that Yogiji bat fast. Play hard. Victory is certain,” Rajnath said, while speaking to booth level presidents in Sitapur. The picture, which had taken social media by storm, was seen as Modi’s endorsement of Yogi as the key face of the party in the run up to UP polls due next year. Rajnath said that it was because of the robust law and order situation that investments were pouring in UP. Around five-and-a-half-lakh crores have come in Uttar Pradesh in the last four and a half years. Even during the Corona period, an investment of Rs 56,000 crore has come in the state, he said. Nearly a week after the PM announced his government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws, Rajnath recalled how during his tenure as UP CM he received protesting farmers, then led by BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, with garlands. Rajnath was chief minster of Uttar Pradesh between 2000 and 2002. “When I was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait entered Lucknow with thousands of farmers. They were coming to the CM residence. Police told me that they would at all cost restrict the entry of the farmers. But I told the police I will welcome them with garlands. This is how BJP treats farmers; this is the attitude of BJP towards farmers. We consider them next to god,” Rajnath said. His statement gained significance three days after 40 farmers’ unions under the aegis of Samyukt Kisan Morcha announced that the stir was far from over until their various other demands, including a legal guarantee to MSP and sacking of junior Union home minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ over alleged involvement of his son Ashish in Lakhimpur violence, were met. The Lucknow MP also termed Naimisharanya located in Sitapur as a key Hindu religious place, visiting which completed the spiritual journey of people. He also drew a parallel between booth level workers with soldiers saying that if a booth is won, the election is won. “To strengthen the party at the booth level, I had started the work of formation of booth committees as the president of BJP,” he said. Rajnath lambasted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for comparing Muslim league leader and Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah with Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. “I want to ask SP leaders what was the use and purpose of bringing in Jinnah who was responsible for the division of the country on religious basis. No one will ever accept this. Muslim society has also opposed this statement,” he claimed.

The Times of India

2021-11-26

Lucknow