PM Modi kicks off campaign for 2019 polls from Maghar, attacks united Opposition

VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kicked off the campaign for 2019 polls while addressing a public rally at Maghar, about 20 kilometers from Varanasi. Attacking the united Opposition, the Prime Minister once again raked up the episode of Emergency in India and claimed all parties are hungry for power.
“There are some parties which do not want peace and development but unrest. They think if there will be unrest, they will be politically benefitted. Such people are cut off from their roots. They don’t know the nature of this nation of Sant Kabir, Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Ambedkar,” he said.
Later, raising the episode of Emergency in India, PM Modi said, “Two days ago, it was 43rd anniversary of Emergency. It is the greed for power that those who imposed and those who opposed Emergency have come together today. They don’t see the welfare of society but only the welfare of themselves and their families.”
He also took a dig at Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over the recent bungalow row, saying that leaders are more concerned about their bungalows but not the welfare of people.
Earlier, the Prime Minister offered ‘chadar’ at Sant Kabir’s Mazar at his masoleum on the 500th death anniversary of the sage.
“Sant Kabir broke the shackles of cast system in India. It was due to efforts of such great saints that India continued to progress despite facing numeral difficulties,” sais PM Modi.
“It’s because of saints like Kabir that India managed to keep its integrity even when we were colonized,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also visited the mausoleum of revered poet-saint Kabir at Maghar town in Sant Kabir Nagar district.
During the visit, the ‘khadim’ or the chief servant of the mausoleum tried to put the skull cap on the head of the UP chief minister but Yogi Adityanath declined to wear it.
The entire incident was captured on the camera and shared on the social media, stirring a fresh controversy.