Bua shedding crocodile tears: PM Narendra Modi

Opening a fresh front against the Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh while voting was on in 14 crucial seats in the state on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged Mayawati to withdraw support to Rajasthan's Congress government over the gang rape of a Dalit girl in Alwar.

Addressing a rally in Deoria that falls in the middle of several constituencies that went to polls in the sixth phase, PM Modi said, "Behenji you will have to answer, why didn't you withdraw support to Rajasthan's Congress govt after a Dalit daughter was gang-raped in the state? You are shedding crocodile tears by only making statements."

Just before the fifth phase, PM Modi had alleged that SP and Congress had inked a deal without Mayawati's taking on board, in an apparent bid to create a wedge between SP and BSP voters.

On Sunday, PM Modi attacked the SP-BSP alliance, claiming that Bua (Mayawati) and Babua's (SP chief Akhilesh Yadav) selfish tie-up has already started showing cracks.

"You will see that after results on May 23 it will break down like a glass shatters into smithereens," Modi said adding that the two will be at each other's throat.

Within hours, Mayawati came out with a counter, asking PM Modi to rein in Dalit atrocities in Gujarat. "In the wake of this [Alwar] incident, Modi is doing dirty politics. The BSP will for sure take an appropriate political decision in the absence of stringent and proper legal action in the case."

In a media release, the BSP chief said, "The BSP will take a required political decision soon, but why is PM Modi not taking moral responsibility for the incidents in the past, such as Una flogging incident, Rohit Vemula case or other cases pertaining to Dalit atrocities? Why is he not resigning?"

On Saturday, Mayawati had slammed both the Congress and the BJP and asked to hang the guilty in the Alwar gang rape case. She had also said that the Supreme Court should act against the Congress government in Rajasthan and the state's police.