Barabanki, February 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at rivals, saying they only bothered about "vote-bank politics" and did not pay attention to the "mountain-like" problems faced by Muslim women due to evil practices like triple talaq.

Addressing an election rally for Barabanki and Ayodhya districts, he claimed that the opposition parties are rattled as the poor people, who have benefited from various welfare schemes including free ration during coronavirus pandemic, are carrying the BJP's victory flag. Increasing the safety and dignity of daughters has always been the priority of the double-engine government, the prime minister said and highlighted the large-scale recruitment of women in Uttar Pradesh Police as well as in the paramilitary forces and the army.

"Today, daughters are giving protection to the country and society by becoming commandos in maximum numbers. Around 6-7 years ago the number of women police personnel in our country was only 1.10 lakh. Now the number of women police personnel has reached above 2.25 lakh," he said.

He also took a swipe at opposition leaders for claiming that they can understand people's pain more than those who have no family, saying for him, UP and the entire country is family. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: First-Time Female Voter and Presiding Officer Plant ‘Mat Vriksha’ Sapling at Green Booth in Lucknow.

"Those who say that they have families, I want to ask these dynasts why didn't they worry about the pain of my Muslim sisters and daughters and their families when they were forced to return to their father's home. "The dynasts always bothered for their 'vote bank' but shut their eyes on the mountain-like problems faced by the Muslim women due to triple talaq practice.

"It is our government which has freed these Muslim sisters from the vicious cycle of triple talaq," he said, adding it not only helped women but also their families. Asserting that it was his government that for the first time addressed the issues of small and marginal farmers, the prime minister said "we have transferred more than Rs 800 crore in the bank accounts of farmers in Barabanki district only". Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: From Akhilesh Yadav to SP Singh Baghel, Here is The List of Five Key Candidates in Phase 3 of UP Polls.

Claiming that the interest of farmers is central to his government, Modi said that a national vaccination programme especially for cattle worth Rs 13,000 crore is underway. The vaccination programme is focused on diseases in cattle like foot and mouth disease. The government has started a Govardhan scheme where plants are being set up to manufacture biogas using animal dung, he said.

This will help farmers to earn from the waste of their cattle and get high-quality organic fertiliser for their farms, he added. Attacking the previous governments at the Centre as well as in UP, Modi said "these dynasts provided the people bare minimum and always wanted them to remain at their feet". ''Due to development work done by the double-engine government, people in UP have faith in us and are craving for more and more work in their areas,'' he said.

Assembly segments in Barabanki and Ayodhya will go to vote in the fifth phase on February 27. Polling for the fourth phase of the assembly election in the state was held on Wednesday.