Campaigning for the BJP candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at Akhilesh Yadav over the issue of triple talaq, saying that the Samajwadi Party chief “ignored the pain and suffering of Muslim women who became victims of triple talaq because of vote bank consideration”.
“An ill practice like triple talaq had left Muslim women and their entire families devastated. I would ask the pariwarvadis (dynasts) since you talk so much about family, why didn’t you worry about Muslim daughters’ pain? My Muslim sisters had to return to their father’s home with their young children, then why didn’t you understand the pain of their family? We may not be pariwar waale (family persons), but we understand the pain of every family because entire India and UP is my family,” said Modi at an election rally in Barabanki.
He was referring to Yadav’s counter to BJP’s ‘pariwarvadis’ (dynasts) jibe in which the SP chief had said that “only a family man can understand the pain of their near and dear ones”.
Modi said: “The votebank consideration made them ignore the problems faced by the Muslim daughters, which were as big as mountains. It was the BJP government that gave them freedom from the practice of triple talaq,” said the PM.
“…You (Akhilesh) are a family person, so you should have understood their pain, but you didn’t try to understand their pain because you only see ballot box, not anyone’s life.”
Speaking about women’s contribution to UP’s development, the PM said, “Ten crore sisters and daughters play a huge role in increasing the capability of the state. If our daughters and sisters are restricted and face dangers, then UP will not develop at a faster pace. When women’s capabilities increase, then the family, society and country also grow. The issues faced by our daughters and sisters, which these people (opposition parties) thought were small… Modi never considered them small. The issues faced by daughters and sisters have been of prime concern to me.” said Modi underlining that most of the houses built under the PM Awas Yojna are registered in the name of women.
The PM, however, stressed that the facilities given to the women were not based on their religion and caste considerations. “Our Dalit, Backward and Muslim sisters and mothers have been benefitted the maximum. The benefit of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at hospitals is reaching to the women from these communities,” he said.
Accusing the previous government of not paying attention to the women’s problems, the PM said, “Had that been the case, they would have not given freedom to those who used to harass our daughters on their way home from schools. Such people now know if they cross their limit, they will face the music.”
Asking the crowd to raise their hands if they have got a Covid jab, the PM said, “Did you have to pay anything? Now tell me those who have been given such a big protection shield won’t they give their blessings to Modi?”