English
Varanasi, March 5: Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Varanasi on Saturday was not a roadshow while terming it as a normal visit to his Lok Sabha constituency which was welcomed by huge crowds. As per the news agency ANI, Goyal said that the Prime Minister visited Kashi to pay obeisance at the Kal Bhairav Temple. He also asserted that the huge crowd gathered on the roads after receiving the information about the Prime Minister’s visit ahead of the last and final phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2017 on March 8.
He also informed that Sunday’s roadshow has been scheduled after looking at the support and love given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. “We had the permission to organise the event yesterday and we have it today as well,” Goyal was quoted as saying.
Anumati kal bhi thi, darshan ke liye puray road ki anumati thi, kal ke utsah ko dekh ke aajka roadhshow nirdharit kar diya hai: Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/dQB2b7JZ6V
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 5, 2017
Tension erupted in the city on Saturday when hundreds of Samajwadi Party workers claimed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow was taken out without due permission and gheraoed the Town Hall ahead of his rally scheduled inside.
The SP workers raised slogans alleging that Modi was scheduled to simply visit and pay obeisance at two temples but he ended up taking out a roadshow, travelling in an open vehicle, in a virtual show of strength in his parliamentary constituency though no permission had been sought for the same from the administration.
The Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the “unauthorised” roadshow of Modi and urged the SP, its alliance partner for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, to do likewise. (For Full Election Coverage CLICK HERE)
“District Congress president Praja Nath Sharma has submitted a written complaint before the EC underscoring that the PM’s roadshow had been taken out without obtaining due permission,” UPCC spokesman Kishore Varshney told PTI over phone.
A large number of crowd was attracted in the massive roadshow conducted by PM Modi on Saturday afternoon. After completing his roadshow PM Modi also visited Kashi Vishwanath and Kal Bhairav temples in Varanasi and offered prayers and performed aarti.
ALSO READ: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets shawls, flowers from Muslims during Varanasi roadshow
During Saturday’s seven kilometres long roadshow from BHU to Kashi Vishwanath temple, PM Narendra Modi’s cavalcade passed through several localities of Varanasi, where he was welcomed by a large number of crowds.
The seven-phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2017 began on February 11. The last phase will be held on March 8. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth phase of polls were held on February 11, 15, 18, 23, 27 and March 4, respectively. The first four phases of the polls witnessed over 60 per cent of voter turnout whereas, the fifth phase recorded a turnout of 57.4 per cent and sixth witnessed 57.03 per cent turnout. The counting of votes in the state will be held on March 11.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.
