LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on UP CM Akhilesh Yadav for his “Gujarat ke gadhe” comment by saying that he was proud to work hard to ensure the welfare of the people of the country. Addressing a rally in Bahraich on Thursday, the PM said he was proud to take inspiration from the donkey that serves its master day in and day out without prejudice and caring for itself.
Addressing an election rally in Rae Bareli recently, Akhilesh Yadav had said that thespian Amitabh Bachchan should stop endorsing ‘donkeys of Gujarat’. Gujarat Tourism TV advertisements feature the megastar. He repeated the taunt on Wednesday at a public meeting in Bahraich. “There are lions and cheetahs in Bahraich but I don’t want to talk about donkeys,” Akhilesh had said. Akhilesh Yadav’s statement came a day after the PM stirred a controversy by drawing a parallel between Hindu and Muslim festivals.
The PM’s rally came on a day when BJP won eight out of 10 municipal corporations in Maharashtra and people of Uttar Pradesh voted in the fourth phase of elections. Referring to the Maharashtra verdict, he said, “Congress is to be seen nowhere, and in UP, too, the Congress will fail and also ensure its alliance partner SP’s defeat too.”
“Akhilesh has shown so much hatred for Gujarat where Dayanand Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel were born… where Lord Krishna chose to settle. This is our country, this much hate doesn’t suit you. I am surprised that no minister of state government has given his report card. And yet, without any shame they come on TV and say ‘kaam bolta hai’,” Modi added.