New Delhi: The use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official PMO Twitter handle to highlight his “Laal Topi” jibe at the Samajwadi Party has sparked a new controversy, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress red-flagging it in the midst of an acrimonious parliament session and the campaign for state elections ahead. At a government event in Gorakhpur on Tuesday, PM Modi unleashed a scathing assault on Akhilesh Yadav’s party, pointing to the “Laal Topi,” or signature red cap worn by its leaders, and accusing the party of softening its stance on terrorism.
He tweeted, “The whole of UP knows that ‘laal topi waale’ (the red caps) are only interested in red beacons (power), not people’s misery. They only need power to run scams, for encroachment, to give a free run to mafias. The red caps want to form government to get terrorists released from jail… The red caps are red alerts for Uttar Pradesh… a danger alarm.”
The PM’s official Twitter handle @PMOIndia reproduced the statements, which were uttered at an official event to open a factory rather than an electoral meeting.
The Prime Minister’s address has been shared on his official Twitter account before, but opposition leaders believe this one is more aggressive and indecent than previous. The PM used his recent government events in Uttar Pradesh to hurl direct assaults on his party’s competitors, blurring the borders between politics and office. Akhilesh Yadav retorted while wearing his “Laal Topi” with pride. The squabble shows the high stakes for all parties in Uttar Pradesh, where elections are set to take place early next year. The BJP, which won the last elections, is up against Akhilesh Yadav, and both parties have planned tours and rallies around the state.
लाल टोपी वालों को सरकार बनानी है, आतंकवादियों पर मेहरबानी दिखाने के लिए, आतंकियों को जेल से छुड़ाने के लिए।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 7, 2021
और इसलिए, याद रखिए, लाल टोपी वाले यूपी के लिए रेड अलर्ट हैं यानि खतरे की घंटी: PM @narendramodi