Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), accusing the two parties of indulging in casteist politics.
"SP, BSP are busy distributing my caste certificate and "naamdar" of Congress is busy abusing the entire lower caste people on the pretext of Modi," he said while addressing an election rally here.
The Prime Minister said these parties can only think of caste and religion. "They do not want to talk about 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat," he added.
"Tell me which caste did Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Laxmibai, Subhash Chandra Bose belong to. A great man is not known by his caste but by his actions. Everyone was Indian," Modi said.
The Prime Minister said that if roads are being made in villages, then people of every caste and religion are using them, adding that the same is the case with electricity.
He also alleged that sensing defeat in the ongoing general elections, the opposition parties have started talking about EVMs and alleged malfunctioning.
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"Now that voting has taken place on 300 seats, some people are very sad. They have once again started talking about EVMs. They kept abusing Modi till the first half of the election process, now they have changed it to EVMs," the Prime Minister said.
"Inke hath lagega zero bata sannata (they will be left with nothing)," he quipped.
Asserting that opposition parties were completely cut off from the public, Modi said, "These people are not aware of what the 21st-century voter wants. This is beyond the understanding of these leaders."
The Prime Minister went on to assure the public that he would work towards their welfare if voted to power again.
"Modi was not born for some party, but for the country. Modi was not born for himself, he was born for you," he said.
Polling in 26 seats of the state were held in the first three phases of elections on April 11, 18 and 23. The rest 54 seats will go to polls in the next four phases and counting of votes will take place on May 23.