Lucknow: In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan today said "brooms are being taken away" from the poor and weaker sections of the society for "gimmicks" instead of being provided with job opportunities.
"Today, there is an atmosphere in the country where very little is being thought about the poor. A lot of injustice has been done," Azam said while speaking at the function for the launch of UP government's Samajwadi Pension Scheme.
In a apparent criticism of Modi's pet project Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, Azam said, "Bread has been taken away from the hands of a poor person. Instead of providing employment to Valmiki which is most backward section of the society, brooms have taken away from their hands."
"Yeh saare dikhawe ke kaam samaj ko aur dukhi karne wale hain. (These gimmicks will worsen the situation). Instead of giving something concrete to the society, if political persons cheat poor and indulge in show off just for the sake of publicity it will be like cheating with the history," he said.
Azam further went on to say that history would not spare such persons. "If the ruler of the country has a mean heart then its not good for 125 crore people," he said.
On launch the pension scheme, the Samajwadi Party leader said, "This day is emotional one. It is a day when wishes of our leader (Mulayam Singh) is being fulfilled."
