New Delhi: Akhilesh Yadav today reacted angrily to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh that "terrorists choose cycles," declaring that a "insult to the cycle is an insult to the entire nation."
The Samajwadi Party chief's retort was couched in a Hindi verse about the bicycle, his party's election symbol, as the "common man's ride" and the pride of villages.

"The cycle links farmers to their fields, laying the groundwork for prosperity. The cycle transports our daughters to school, breaking through social barriers and racing ahead unaffected by inflation; the cycle is the common man's ride, the pride of rural India; an insult to the cycle is an insult to the entire nation "Akhilesh Yadav, along with others, tweeted.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made disparaging remarks about the Samajwadi Party's election symbol, linking it to terrorists, in the context of the 49 people convicted of the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts on Friday.

"Today, I'm bringing this up because some political parties have softened their stance on terrorists. The explosions were carried out in two ways. The first occurred in the city at 50-60 locations, and two hours later, a blast occurred in a vehicle in a hospital, as relatives, officials, and leaders were on their way there. A number of people died there as well "PM Modi stated this during a public meeting in Hardoi.

"The bombs were kept on cycles during the initial blasts...

I'm curious why they (terrorists) chose cycles "The Prime Minister made a remark.

He also accused the Samajwadi Party of dropping charges against those accused in the 2006 Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Lucknow blasts (2007).

"The Samajwadi government ordered the withdrawal of cases filed against many terrorists in 14 cases relating to terror attacks in UP. "These people were carrying out explosions, and the Samajwadi government did not allow these terrorists to be prosecuted," he claimed, claiming that it was the Samajwadi Party's "return gift." "..

The Prime Minister was campaigning on the same day that Uttar Pradesh voted in the third round of assembly elections, in which the ruling BJP faces a stiff challenge from Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party.