Samajwadi Party legislator Dimple Yadav on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his controversial remarks last week, and said that, “Jo 3 saal se Mann Ki Baat kar rahe they, unke mann ki baat mein thi bhedbhaav, jaati-dharm, Diwali-Ramzan, Shamshaan-Kabristaan ki baat.” [“The people who were saying Mann ki Baat for the last three years, they had prejudice in their hearts, on the lines of caste-religion, Diwali-Ramzan, Shamshaan-Kabristaan.”]
Her comment came soon after Modi had made his radio address, which is called Mann Ki Baat. Yadav, who is also Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife, was addressing a rally in Jaunpur ahead of the fifth phase of the state’s Assembly polls.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had garnered criticism for saying, “If a graveyard is made in a village, it should also have a cremation ground; if a village gets electricity during Ramzan, it should also get the same during Diwali; there should be no discrimination.”
The Congress had called his comments communal and had approached the Election Commission about it. “This is a clear violation of Election Commission’s rules... Modi has violated and insulted the oath he took as Prime Minister. I hope the Election Commission takes strict notice of this,” party veteran Anand Sharma had said.
The fifth phase of the state’s Assembly elections will be held on Monday. The poll results will be out on March 11.
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