During Samajwadi Party rule, mafias moved in official cars: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of erstwhile Samajwadi Party governments in Uttar Pradesh promoting mafias and facilitating their entry into legislatures. Speaking at a rally in Ghazipur where SP has fielded Afzal Ansari, sitting MP and brother of don Mukhtar Ansari who died of a heart attack in jail recently, Modi said mafia elements had a free run in the state before BJP came to power.

Modi charged SP and Congress with neglecting the development of Ghazipur and east UP, resulting in a life of misery for the people who lived a hand to mouth existence. Successive governments since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru had not paid heed to the demands raised by local leaders on the plight of the people in this region.

"During SP rule, the situation was such that mafias would move around in official vehicles with a red beacon light, issue open warnings to the government from open Jeeps, shoot their opponents in public. UP became identified with riots," Modi said.


He took on SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav on poor law and order, saying he did not keep his election promises after coming to power.

"At one point, SP Shehzada (Yadav) had said that he would put a stop to entry of mafias but then went and sat at the feet of these mafias. SP nurtured mafias and gave them election tickets," Modi said.

Mukhtar Ansari and slain don Atiq Ahmed had contested and won Assembly elections on a SP ticket. Ahmed even won a Lok Sabha election.

Earlier at a rally in Patliputra, Patna, the prime minister reiterated his charge that the INDIA bloc will take away a share of the reserved seats of SC, ST and OBC communities and give it to Muslims. He said the backward and extremely backward castes will be the worst sufferers.