PM Modi can't afford to be low on facts

In the land of the Ganga-Yamuna parampara and Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, Diwali and Eid are celebrated with equal fervour. Little wonder then that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempts to suggest discriminatory treatment to the two festivals has evoked a sharp response.

In the course of his election speeches across Uttar Pradesh, PM Modi accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government in the state of discriminating when it came to ensuring unrestricted power supply during festivals.

"If you provide uninterrupted supply of power for Eid, then you should also do it for Holi and Diwali," he said.

In the same breath, he also accused the state government of minority bias when it came to allocation funds for graveyards and cremation grounds. What he was essentially doing was accusing the SP government of bias in favour of a particular community at the expense of the majority community.

Given it is election time, the PM was, perhaps, subtly seeking to build on his party's pet narrative of non-BJP governments appeasing the minorities at the cost of the majority. However, a quick fact check suggests a wide gap between the PM's statements and the reality.

Was uninterrupted power supply provided for Eid, but not Diwali?

Fact: The amount of power supply on Eid in 2016 was 13,500 megawatt as opposed to the 15,400 megawatt made available without an interruption for the entire five-day Diwali period leading up to Bhai Dooj.

Places of worship of both faiths were provided 24 hours' uninterrupted power supply. Their list includes Jain Mandir and Panch Payara Mandir in Hastinapur, Vrindavan Mathura and Sarnath-Kasia in Kushinagar. Similarly, Deva Sharif, Deoband and Dargah Ali Nazabee also benefitted from uninterrupted 24-hour supply of electricity.

Was there discrimination in the allocation of funds to pilgrims?

Fact: Under the Samajwadi Shrawan yatra scheme, the UP government offers free pilgrimage for its senior citizens. In addition to taking care of their travel expenses, the state government pays for medical and basic necessities.

These facilities were provided to pilgrims to Rishikesh, Devbhoomi, Haridwar, Ajmer Sharif, Pushkar, Rameshwaram and Tirupati. While pilgrims on the Sindhu Darshan were given Rs 10,000 each, those touring Mansarovar were given Rs 50,000.

Was there discrimination in the allocation of funds to graveyards and cremation grounds?

Fact: The budgetary allocation for cremation grounds was Rs 100 crore in 2014-2015; it facilitated the construction of 755 cremation grounds.

In 2015-2016, Rs 127 crore was allocated for the construction of cremation grounds — out of which 755 grounds were constructed. Separate funds were allocated for the construction of boundary walls around cemeteries.

PM Modi's claim: Uttar Pradesh is the number one state when it comes to crime. BJP ruled states have a better record of law and order.

Fact: According to NCRB records of 2015, 27 states and UTs had higher incidence of rapes than UP, 21 had higher murder rates, 19 had higher rates of kidnapping and abduction, 16 had higher rates of rioting and 18 had higher rates of thefts.

BJP-administered states such as Jharkhand, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh had higher incidence of murders than Uttar Pradesh.

In 2015, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh reported a higher rate of rape than Uttar Pradesh. In Delhi, the incidence of rapes was 7.5 times that in UP.

BJP-ruled states of Haryana, J&K, MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Goa also reported more kidnapping cases than UP. Also, BJP-administered states of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan witnessed more instances of rioting than Uttar Pradesh.

In the heat of the political battle, allegations and sweeping statements fly thick and fast. But when it comes to leaders who occupy constitutional positions, fundamental fact-checking is the least one expects.