Lucknow, Jun 27 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday lashed out at the BJP over the recent assault on a non-Brahmin kathavachak (religious storyteller) and his team, calling the incident part of a larger conspiracy to divide Uttar Pradesh along caste lines by bringing in “planted elements” from neighbouring states.
Referring to the assault that took place on the intervening night of June 22 and 23, he said, “The BJP is deploying its ‘planted people’ with strategic surnames from neighbouring states to carry out its infiltrative politics and disturb social harmony in Uttar Pradesh. But the people of Uttar Pradesh are aware of the truth. Society here will not be divided by the actions of a few negative elements - it will emerge even stronger.” Yadav questioned the “lack of trust” the BJP central leadership allegedly places in its own cadre from Uttar Pradesh.
“Is there not even one BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh whom those sitting in Delhi can trust? Is that why people from outside are being brought in to stage conspiracies and disrupt peace here,” he asked.
Taking direct aim at the Yogi Adityanath government, the former chief minister accused the BJP of opening the state’s borders to “anarchic elements” who, he claimed, enter Uttar Pradesh, disturb peace, and leave unchallenged.
“If that is indeed the case, the government should make it official - or else immediately register FIRs against such elements and have them arrested. If this doesn’t happen, more such people will come tomorrow, and the public will conclude that the BJP government has become a paper tiger - without leadership, law and order, or any commitment to peace,” he said.
Referring to the assault on the kathavachak and his team, including a visually impaired dholak player, Yadav said, “A handful of dominance-obsessed individuals didn’t even spare the artist who ‘sees the world through rhythm’. By snatching his dholak and levelling baseless accusations, such people have lost the sympathy of even their own community.” He condemned the attackers as “inhuman and un-Indian”, saying that those who truly revere India’s cultural heritage are always compassionate and kind-hearted.
Rallying support under the banner of PDA - his party’s inclusive alliance for Pichhde (backward classes), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities) - Yadav said the Etawah incident has united marginalised communities.
“The entire PDA society is standing with every victim of what I call the ‘Etawah PDA insult incident’,” he declared.
“PDA is the new resonance of resistance against oppression. It is the collective and conscious awakening of those historically sidelined and wronged. It does not call for revenge but for a change in mindset,” he added.
Yadav concluded his lengthy X post by reaffirming that the PDA represents a vision for a more equal and just society, grounded in dignity and progressive social justice: “The PDA is a determined call for a new order - one that removes inequality and ensures equality, respect and opportunity for all.” His post comes a day after Etawah witnessed violence amid a face off between protestors, some of whom belonged to a Yadav caste-based group, and local police. The protestors laid siege to the Bakewar police station demanding that the FIR lodged against the kathavachak and his associate be withdrawn.
Purported visuals of the Thursday violence showed unidentified persons pelting police personnel with stones while the cops also brandished firearms in the arm in an apparent bid to back off the protestors on a narrow village road. PTI KIS ZMN
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