Varanasi: On a day when a non-bailable warrant was issued against absconding rape-accused UP minister Gayatri Prajapati and his passport impounded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at an election meeting in Jaunpur, said, "In this country, when we do something good, we chant the Gayatri Mantra. But, the SP-Congress alliance is chanting the 'Gayatri Prajapati Mantra'.
"A case has been lodged against him (but) the chief minister went to campaign for him while he (Gayatri) was present there...Now, the police cannot trace him," Modi said.
"A daughter is seeking justice and the chief minister is shielding the gunehgaar (guilty)...What bigger blot can there be than this that in Uttar Pradesh when a buffalo goes missing, the government runs to find it.
"But, a girl is crying for justice and the police and chief minister are sleeping...Such a government needs to be punished," he said, reminding voters that they have got an opportunity to perform the "pind daan" (last rites) of their "tormentors".
It was the virtual parade of the top guns as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav and Congress' Rahul Gandhi held a roadshow in the cityCongreswho turned his visit to the famous Kashi Vishwanath and Kal Bhairav temples into an impromptu roadshow, a day ahead of the one planned for tomorrow.
Modi's roadshow came on a day when the sixth phase of polling in 49 constituencies, including Gorakhpur and Azamgarh in the state was underway.
BJP leaders feel that the hours-long event, broadcast live on most of the regional TV news channels, will help their cause when the 40 remaining seats go to the polls in the final phase on March 8.
Slogans like 'Subah Banaras, sham Banaras; Modi tere naam Banaras' and 'Modi, Modi' greeted Modi as he waved from an open top vehicle covered with marigold.
Samajwadi Party president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is seeking a second successive term in office after stitching an alliance with Congress, in wilderness in the state for a long time, also led a roadshow with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through the city, but not before he had paid a visit to the 'Kashi Vishwanath' temple of Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Varanasi.
Amid chanting of 'shlokas', Akhilesh, sporting the red Samajwadi Party cap, was seen kneeling at the temple and seeking the blessings of the priests.
Akhilesh's MP wife Dimple, who has of late emerged as a star campaigner of the party after the sulking Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav decided to largely keep away from the fiercely fought electoral battle, joined the roadshow midway.
Mulayam has so far addressed only a few election meetings for his brother Shivpal and younger daughter-in-law Aparna in their Jaswantnagar and Lucknow (cantonment) seats.
The alliance partners mustered thousands of supporters for their parallel show of strength. Their supporters lined the streets and showered flower petals as the roadshow inched its way through crowded streets.
Posters proclaiming 'Akhilesh Again' with the image of a smiling Chief Minister were seen along the route.
An incident of stone-pelting was reported near Chowka Ghat as the convoy passed by, but police denied it, saying supporters of rival parties came face-to-face over hoisting flags but a clash was averted.
BSP leader Mayawati, seeking a fifth term as Chief Minister, did not visit Varanasi but held an election rally at Rohaniya, about 20 km from here, where she claimed the people at Modi's roadshow were "mere spectators" brought from neighbouring states like Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
She said prayers being offered at temples and shrines "will be of no avail".
(With PTI inputs)
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