After Modi attack, Mulayam blames BJP of instigating riots

Gonda (UP): Under attack from BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today hit back at him asking whether education and irrigation had been made free in Gujarat like UP, and charged his party with instigating riots to impede growth.

"I heard his (Modi's) speech... He said nothing has been done for farmers, but I ask whether he has made education, irrigation and health care free in his home state like Uttar Pradesh," Yadav said addressing the "Desh Bachao, Desh Banao (Save the Country, Build the Country)" rally here.

Mulayam Singh Yadav. AFP

"Over Rs 16.50 crore of loans of the Land Development Bank has been waived off and provisions have been made to ban auction of farmers' land, but what have you done Modi sahab?" he asked, and added the state cabinet had also okayed free medical treatment for serious ailments like cancer.

Rejecting allegations of discrimination in relief work in Muzaffarnagar, he said "riots are unfortunate and should not have happened", but the state government had done everything possible to provide employment and house to the victims.

The Samajwadi Party chief questioned Modi as to what he had done for the riot victims in his home state Gujarat, and recalled how the locals, especially women, apprised him of their problems which he "cannot utter from the dais" here.

Alleging that hurdles are being created in development of the state, Yadav asked who was behind the Muzaffarnagar riots.

"When we start development, murders are committed and fires are set on... who did Muzaffarnagar... are your MLAs not involved?" he asked.

"You said we helped only one section of society why is your eye only on Muslims... We do not do so, if there is anyone who does discrimination, it is you," he said, "We had given land to Sikhs in the terai region of the state, but in Gujarat you have been trying to snatch lands from Sikhs and conspiring to throw them out."

"It is my open charge why are Sikhs being troubled in Gujarat... Why is the government trying to grab their land?" he asked.

PTI