PM Modi lashes out at Fake Samajwadis; asserts 'Parivarvad is a great threat to democracy'

With phase one of the forthcoming assembly elections commencing in a few hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unleashed a blistering attack against the opposition leaders for leading ‘dynastic politics,’ where family is ‘supreme' for the leaders.

Denouncing the ‘Fake Samajwadis,’ PM Modi severely criticised the former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and remarked that his party has been indulged in the welfare of his own family members and noted that he calls them ‘Fake Samajwadi’s’ since their priorities are ‘Parivarvad’ (that is the service of the family) over the service of the family.

PM Modi denounces 'Fake Samajwadi' over Parivarvad

Ahead of the commencement of the polls in Uttar Pradesh, PM denounced the Samajwadi Party for laying their thrust on the welfare of the family members and claimed that such political organisations are posing a threat to democracy. In his remarks, he mentioned that someone had informed him in a letter that around 45 people of the same family (Samajwadi Party) have held up several powerful positions in the state.

"Someone sent me a letter once that in Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, there were 45 people from the family who held some positions. Someone else told me all those around 25 years of age got the opportunity to contest elections. Isn't these dynastic politics is a threat to democracy?" PM asserted.

PM Modi’s condemnation of the succession of the political power inside the family didn’t confine only to Samajwadi Party, he further brought other political parties under the scanner who have been indulged in ‘Parivarvad.’

Citing examples of the national opposition Congress, two other political parties in Jammu and Kashmir (National Conference and PDP); other political parties in Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, he stated that the growing culture of nepotism in politics is depriving the youth of participating in politics, as they don’t get enough opportunity and their talent is wasted.

Dynastic Politics great threat to Democracy; government has no business to do business

The Prime Minister went on to add that the culture of dynastic politics will pose a great threat to democracy as it will desist capable and talented politicians to come to the power. On being asked if the BJP is following ‘socialism or Samajwad' in the government’s new policies, PM Modi responded that they believe in serving the people of the country and if that is called ‘Samajwadi,’ he doesn’t mind being called Samajwadi.

"If you listen to our economic principles since the days of Jan Sangh, we have faith in the people, on their capabilities and the government policies should give them opportunities. We are making such policies that they get the maximum opportunity. This is our view that government has no business to do business. How does it connect with socialism? This is against socialism," PM said.

"The government's job is to care for the poor, to ensure food, toilets, houses, clean drinking water, drinking water, roads for people. The government's job is to care for the poor if they are sick. The job of the government is to see how the produce of small farmers reaches markets. My priority is to provide all this. If somebody calls it Samajwad, it is acceptable to me," he said.

The Prime Minister asked if socialist leaders Ram Manhor Lohia and George Fernandes had ever forced their families to join politics. He claimed that Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar and a BJP ally at the Centre and in Bihar, is also a socialist politician.

"I am for the society. 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?" he asked.

In response to a question concerning charges that the BJP has dynastic leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that there is a distinction between one or two members of a family getting tickets and winning elections and all major political posts in a party belonging to one family. He explained that in dynastic parties, roles such as president and legislative board leader are held by a single individual, and if the father is unavailable for some reason, the son takes his place.

Image: ANI