Lucknow: It cannot get more brazen than this. A local BJP leader in Barabanki, while campaigning for his wife in the ongoing municipal elections, warned Muslims that they would face “difficulties” if they did not vote for her.
Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava, the outgoing head of the Nagar Palika Parishad, has fielded his wife Shashi Srivastava for the post this time since the seat has been reserved for women.
Two days ago, at a public meeting, Mr Srivastava told the people that “this is not a Samajwadi Party government. You cannot go to the DM, SP to get your work done. None of your leaders can help you. Roads, lanes, drains are the work of the municipal board. You may face some other difficulties as well. Today, you do not have any advocates inside the BJP. If you do not, without any discrimination, get our corporators elected… If you do not vote for Ranjeet Sahab’s wife and get her elected… then you will distance yourselves and Samajwadi Party will not come to your rescue. This is the BJP’s regime. You may have to face the difficulties which you did not have to undergo earlier.”
He added, “Isliye, main Musalmano se keh raha hun, vote de dena. Bheekh nahi maang raha hun. Agar vote doge, to sukhi rahoge. Agar vote nahin doge, to jo kasht jheloge uska andaza tumko khud lag jayega. (Therefore, I am asking Muslims to cast your vote for us. I am not begging. If you vote for us, you will be better off. If you do not vote for us, you cannot imagine the kind of difficulties you will face).”
A video recording of Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava’s speech has gone viral on the social media and, interestingly, two senior minister Dara Singh Chauhan and Ramapati Shastri were present on the dais when the leader warned the Muslims.
