Apparently wary of the possible electoral fallout of the killing of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri district a few days back in which the son of a union minister is the prime accused, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to douse the farmers' anger by listing the initiatives taken by his government for their benefit.
Addressing a public meeting at Kushinagar after inaugurating the Kushinagar International Airport, Modi also sought to counter Congress's 'women card' by claiming that women had gained most in the BJP regime in the state as they were provided pucca houses and gas cylinders.
"The Centre and the state government have created a record in purchasing the farmers' produce....so far Rs 80,000 crore has been transferred into the accounts of the farmers in UP against purchases of their produce. More than Rs 37,000 crore has reached the accounts of the farmers of the state in the form of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi," he said.
In a bid to neutralise the Congress's announcement of 40 per cent reservation for women in ticket distribution in the forthcoming assembly polls in UP, PM Modi said that the state government had taken a number of steps for the welfare of the women.
"A majority of registration of new homes in UP has been in the names of women. If the poor get a pucca home, toilets, power connection and gas cylinders, their confidence increases," Modi added.
He also launched a veiled attack on the rival Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP, saying that the previous governments in the state never bothered about the people and patronised the mafia elements.
"Under Yogi Adityanath, the mafia elements are begging for their lives. Their ill-gotten wealth is being destroyed," he said.
Modi said that the state had a rich history and referred to Lord Rama and Krishna, who "were born on this land". "As many as 18 of the 24 tirthankaras of Jainism were born here," he added.
PM Modi also presided over a function on the occasion of the 'Abhidhamma Day'. He also paid obeisance at the Mahaparinirvana Temple. Buddhists believe that Lord Buddha had attained mahaparinirvana after his death at Kushinagar.
A flight from Sri Lanka carrying a delegation of over one hundred Buddhist monks and others arrived at the airport on Wednesday. The visitors also brought Holy Buddha relics for exposition.
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