Muslims should give up benefits if they have hatred for Modi: BJP MP Ashok Yadav defends his remarks

Darbhanga (Bihar) [India], November 3 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ashok Kumar Kumar on Monday clarified on his earlier remark made allegedly on Muslim voters, reiterating that if voters are not ready to vote for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) then they should give up the benefits from the ongoing schemes of the government.
"My statement was that Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar work for everyone, be they Hindus or Muslims or Dalits or Backwards or Extremely Backwards. So, if we work for everyone, during elections, we expect to get votes from all communities. We get votes from all communities but wherever the Muslims are in the majority, 'pure-Muslim booths', we get a zero. So, I said that if they have such hatred for Narendra Modi, turn down all the benefits from development that you are getting. That is all I said," Yadav told ANI while in Keoti assembly constituency.
Reiterating the promise of inclusive development, Yadav in turn accused the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of seeking votes along communal lines.
"PM Modi does no discrimination. So, who is communal here? We are accused of being communal. But who votes on religious lines? Elections are going to be held in Keoti and people of one religion are uniting behind the RJD candidate there. We talk about development and go to people with these matters. Opposition is seeking votes on religious and caste lines. This is not good for democracy," he said.
Earlier, while campaigning for the BJP candidate and incumbent MLA, Murari Mohan Jha, the BJP MP claimed that whenever elections are held in the area it feels that he is at the Pakistan border, as he told voters to give up the benefits of the various schemes released by the NDA if they do not want to vote for the alliance.
"When the elections are held in Keoti, it feels like we are on the Pakistani border.... you should say goodbye (to schemes) if you don't vote, (for BJP)," he had said on Sunday.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai was also present at the event.
The Keoti assembly seat, under the Darbhanga district is set to witness a four way contest with Murari Mohan Jha of the BJP looking to retain his seat. RJD candidate Faraz Fatmi, Jan Suraaj candidate Biltu Sahni, and AIMIM candidate Mohammad Anisur Rahman are looking to win the seat too and unseat the MLA.
Before Jha, it was RJD's Fatmi who represented the seat, making the electoral contest a close contest as two familiar faces look to come back and represent the people of Keoti.
The Bihar assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)