Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will soon embark on a cycle yatra, after virtually being in hibernation for two-and-a-half years.
Yadav has mostly been conducting his politics through Twitter in this time, but is now set to revisit various projects that were started in his time as CM.
In a wide-ranging interview with ThePrint, Yadav took on Yogi Adityanath and his regime, highlighting how 200 BJP MLAs are disgruntled and sat in protest against the CM at the assembly.
He also alleged that the violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in UP was engineered by Yogi, to distract the masses from his MLAs’ disenchantment. Excerpts from the interview:
‘CAA is against minorities’
Yadav called the new citizenship law “anti-minority” and labelled it the BJP’s effort to take away the equality guaranteed in the Constitution. He accused the BJP of always believing in socially divisive politics, and said divide and rule was in its nature.
“All the decisions it has taken are against the country’s masses, and now they are bringing in several things like the CAA, NRC and NPR that are against the poor, the minorities, and especially Muslims,” he said.
He pointed to the nationwide protests against the CAA, and alleged that the BJP was bringing in such distracting issues to divert attention from the real issues the country faces.
About the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register, he said: “There are millions of people born in villages who don’t have documents… What will they say? Where will they get documents from? Are they not Indians? Why is the government asking them repeatedly for proof?”
‘CM instigated violence to mask his own failures’
Yadav insisted that the anti-CAA demonstration led by his Samajwadi Party in Lucknow was completely peaceful, but the atmosphere was vitiated at the behest of CM Yogi.
“Around 200 BJP MLAs had staged a sit-in protest at the Vidhan Sabha against their own government, and the CM instigated violence to distract the people’s attention,” Yadav alleged.
Yadav also took Yogi to task for saying “we will take revenge”, adding that he had never heard any elected CM say such a thing, nor did he expect to hear it. He also said Yogi had used a term like “thok do” (literally, hit them) in the past. “Should a CM talk in such language?” he asked.
Also read: CAA rules must be stringent, offering citizenship only to real and not imagined refugees
‘Notices being sent without proof’
The UP government has begun sending notices to the alleged miscreants to recover the cost of the public property damaged during the protests. Yadav said on the issue: “You might remember that a police inspector had lost his life during violence in Bulandshahr. In that protest too, large-scale damage had occurred to the state’s property. Did the government make any kind of recovery then?
“On what basis are notices being sent to those who are yet to be proved guilty? From where will they manage to pay such a huge amount of money?”
‘Diverting attention from the real issues’
Levelling serious allegations against the BJP, Yadav said even people within the party are unaware about the CAA.
“We have all witnessed what happened in Assam. All this is a clever ploy to divert attention from all the other real and important issues,” he said. “This government is unable to provide employment; instead, it provides distractions.”
On Priyanka Gandhi’s increased activity
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has been active in UP, and has alleged that the main opposition parties SP and BSP are not fulfilling their duties.
Asked about this, Yadav said he wouldn’t make any personal comments against anyone.
“We, in the Samajwadi Party, are quite active too, and we will look more active in the time to come. As of now, we are strengthening the party organisation,” he said.
“Various leaders from our party are constantly meeting with the family members of youth who have lost their lives during these protests. We are extending full support to them. Our leaders are in constant touch with the affected families on all levels. A few days ago, I had also visited Unnao to meet the family of the rape victim. The SP is standing with all the victims with all its might,” Yadav added.
Cycle yatra
Asked about his party’s strategy for the new year, Yadav said he will soon start a cycle yatra, which has been successful in the past.
“In the new year, you will surely see me riding the bicycle (the SP’s election symbol). We have made all kind of preparations for the cycle yatra,” he said.
Detailing the plan for the yatra, Yadav added: “I will go and inspect the buildings that I had got constructed during my tenure as chief minister. I want to personally see the progress of projects that I had initiated.”
Also read: ‘Won’t fill NPR form’ — former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav says BJP can’t decide citizenship
It is beyond Baadla man’s brin to cook out such scheme. A yogi is a Yogi.
Telling lies has become a fashion for Modi haters. Akhilesh indulged in pure lies by saying that Yogi instigated violence in UP. I can also say that Akilesh and his goons not only instigated but indulged in arson and loot. They must be arrested and placed in tihar jail.
Akhilesh was a good CM of U.P. He should be more pro-active than he has been of late.
Akhileshbabu should get his act together. Order a scoop of hand churned sitaphal ice cream for his beloved aunt. Between them, they have governed Uttar Pradesh for over a decade. Know all the mistakes CM Bisht is making in broad daylight. Understand the rhythms of life in India’s largest, most difficult to govern state. Present him with a united front in March 2022. The Congress should stay grounded, know it’s real strength and limitations.
This guy knows his party is finishing, he is poor shadow of mulayam