Lucknow, Feb 24 (PTI): Countering Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘donkeys from Gujarat’ jibe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he drew inspiration from the animal.
Modi also said the remark reflected Akhilesh’s “casteist” mentality. “You can attack me or the BJP, but why attack the donkeys? Why are you scared of them... they are hundreds of miles away,” Modi said, addressing an election rally at Bahraich.
Spare the animal, says PM
“It shows your (Akhilesh’s) casteist mentality... it is discriminating among animals,” the prime minister said, adding that the SP regime was known for employing the entire government machinery in tracing a lost buffalo.
“The donkey also inspires me... it remains loyal to its master and keeps on working even if tired, hungry or sick. I perform tasks that the people of the country ask me to do. I work on an empty stomach, without taking leave,” he said.
Modi reminded Akhilesh that the previous Congress-led UPA government had released a postal stamp on donkeys. “It (Congress) is your (SP’s) alliance partner now,” he said.
Akhilesh had on Monday launched a veiled attack on Modi for promoting the donkeys of Gujarat and asked actor Amitabh Bachchan not to endorse them. “Gujarat ke log ab wahan ke gadhon ka bhi prachar karwa rahen hain…kahin gadhon ka prachar hote dekha hai?”
(even the donkeys of Gujarat are being promoted... have you ever seen the promotion of donkeys?),” Akhilesh said at an election rally in Raebareli.
“I urge Amitabh Bachchan to stop promoting the donkeys of Gujarat,” he said, referring to the ad campaign on the Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat.