Modi Live: 'SP made Congress' vote bank politics its own'

3.42 pm: Modi  turns to Gujarat to slam UP govt and UPA govt Citing his achievements in Gujarat, Modi Narendra Modi says, “When people ask me how I will replicate the Gujarat model elsewhere, I ask them is it difficult to provide people with clean water. We don’t have too many rivers in Gujarat. Yet I have constructed huge pipelines to send water to places as far as the border. These pipes are so huge that Akhilesh Yadav and his family can get into a Maruti car and drive inside it.” He then added that SP and BSP has just adopted the Congress’ brand of vote bank politics and made it their own. “BJP is the only party who is not playing vote bank politics. If we are voted to power, there will be no communal disharmony, everyone will be united,” he said. He also rehashed his earlier stand on electricity in UP saying that when people are 1.30 pm: BJP in poll mode, defiantly honours riot accused Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana In the rally organised in Agra to accelerate BJP’s poll programme, the BJP went ahead and honoured two riots accused Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana. Rana and Som were gifted pagdis - traditionally associated with honour and respect in India - as they strutted around the stage with broad smiles plastered on their faces. They were also garlanded by the BJP, who have decided for themselves without paying heed to the legal system, that the MLAs are ‘innocent’. They have been released on bail, like several other perpetrators of various other crimes, and the party seems to have taken the same as a statement of their innocence. Strangely enough, Narendra Modi, who had hoarsely defended the duo in past rallies, wasn’t present at the venue at the time. The incident falls perfectly in line with BJP’s new strategy of steamrolling over criticism against its allegedly communal nature. And in a blatant show of strength, the alleged instigator of riots which killed more than 50 people were felicitated, hugged and hailed on stage at Agra - making it clear that the BJP is in no mood to either wait for the courts of the country to pronounce them innocent or let criticism come in the way of their forceful denial of doing any wrong. On the other hand, Modi’s absence at the moment of felicitation is significant. Modi being the astute politician that he is knows well that if Som and Rana were to be proved guilty by the law courts in future, he would be able to successfully distance himself from the act of felicitating them. And by allowing some party members to congratulate Som and Rana, he will not stem the flow of the party’s sentiment, without directly contributing to it. That’s an ace move one has to say! 9.30 am: Sangeet Som, Suresh Rana to share dais with Modi Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana, the two Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs from Uttar Pradesh and among those accused of inciting the September riots in Muzaffarnagar, are set to be felicitated by the party at Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally in Agra at 12pm. The BJP has justified the controversial move by claiming that the duo has been “falsely accused”. “Our leaders were charged under the National Security Act to defame them. But the court had held these charges to be baseless. They are our leaders and we will honour them in our rallies,” BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh Kalraj Mishra said. [caption id=“attachment_1241501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] The National Security Act (NSA) had been slapped on the legislators Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana, but was found to have been wrongly applied and later revoked by the court. Both were later granted bail by courts. The move has been roundly criticised by opposition parties, saying that it was further proof of the BJP’s communal policies. “The act (honouring two Uttar Pradesh MLAs Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana at Agra rally tomorrow) proves his love for communal riots,” JD(U) General Secretary and state minister Shyam Rajak said in a statement. “It’s a clear message for party workers to trigger communal riots and get honoured by Narendra Modi,” Rajak added. Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said his party’s stand that the BJP remains a communal party is now vindicated. “The law will continue to take its course — the case against him under the CRPC still stands,” he said. The Congress has also attacked the BJP’s decision claiming it will create a “hate situation” while the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh said it reflected the BJP’s culture. Muslims are also unhappy with the party’s decision to honour two MLAs – Sangeet Singh Som and Suresh Rana – accused in the Muzaffarnagar riot cases. This will only add salt to our wounds in the aftermath of the communal clashes, Rahat Ali, a trader, said. Som and Rana have already been felicitated by the state party unit. A report in The Indian Express said the party gave the arrested leaders and workers who had been detained for over two hours a letter of appreciation to recognise their “struggle against the state government during the riots and the sacrifice they made and got arrested for the cause of safety of mata, bahen and betian (mother, sister and daughter) as well as Indian culture”. The two will share the stage with Modi today, and will be felicitated as well. 9.00 am: Security stepped up for Agra rally National Security Guard commandos, Special Task Force personnel from Gujarat and more than 1,000 UP policemen Wednesday turned the Kothi Meena Bazar ground here into a fortress. Security has been beefed up for Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi‘s “Vijay Shankhnaad” rally. While metal detectors were installed at the entrance gates, parking slots were earmarked several kilometres away from the venue. “After the Patna bomb blasts (Oct 27), the district administration is not taking any chance and has beefed up security apparatus,” an official told IANS. “Watch towers, special slot for OB vans, a guarded press box, a huge stage and the ground decked up with hoardings and flags are in place. More than a lakh people should turn up,” activist Shravan Kumar Singh said. He said such arrangements were not seen even for the prime minister’s rallies. Many schools have announced a holiday and people are being advised not to use the main roads to avoid traffic jams, another activist Naresh Paras told IANS. State party leaders, including former chief minister Kalyan Singh, are already camping in Agra.