A day before the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, saying “dynastic politics” is a big threat to and the biggest enemy of democracy. Modi claimed he had received a letter mentioning that 45 people in a single family held various positions in the Akhilesh Yadav-led party.
"Someone sent me a letter once that in Samajwadi Pary in Uttar Pradesh there were 45 people from the family who held some positions. Someone else told me all those of around 25 years in age got the opportunity to contest elections. Is this dynastic politics a threat for democracy?," Modi asked in an interview to news agency ANI.
Taking a ‘fake samajwadi’ jibe at the SP, Modi asked whether socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and George Fernandes had ever laid thrust on their families.
“When I say fake socialism, it is 'parivarvad'. Do you see Lohia's family anywhere, he was a socialist; do you see the family of George Fernandes, he was also a Samajwadi. Nitish Babu, he is working with us, he is also a socialist. Do you see his family?," Modi asked in the interview.
Asked about the allegations that the BJP also has “dynastic leaders” in the party, the prime minister said there is a difference between one or two people from a family getting tickets and winning elections and all important political positions in a party going to a particular family in the party.
Terming the family-run parties as the biggest enemy of democracy, Modi said: “Their goal is to save family whether there is any benefit of the country.”
The prime minister further lamented that talent is the biggest casualty in dynastic politics. "When dynastic politics takes place, family is supreme, save the family whether the party is saved or not, whether the country is saved or not, when this happens, what is the first casualty? Howsoever the son, he will be the party chief, the biggest casualty then is talent," ANI quoted the prime minister as saying.
‘Rahul is not listening’
Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, Modi termed the Congress leader as a “person who does not listen and does not sit in the House”. Responding to Rahul’s allegations that the Centre is not issuing clarifications on issues like the India-China border dispute and unemployment, Modi said the respective ministries had given detailed answers and that he himself had spoken on some subjects whenever it was necessary.
“How do I reply to a person who does not listen, and does not sit in the House?,” Modi asked.
