Farmers Movement Archive

Akhilesh says BJP will never act against Union minister

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has said that the BJP will never act against the Union minister whose son has been arrested in connection with the killing of four farmers, as the party solidly backs criminals.Yadav was speaking in Hamirpur on Wednesday as part of his ongoing Vijay Rath Yatra, which moved through Jalaun and Kanpur Dehat, where he addressed workers at meetings.Yadav said Adityanath has a liking for two things - the bull and the bulldozer - but the people of Bundelkhand have decided to bulldoze the BJP with their votes in next year’s assembly elections.“They will run the bulldozer of votes on the BJP in the coming polls,” he said.Yadav was apparently referring to the stray cattle menace in Bundelkhand and the government’s drive to raze buildings mostly of criminals and politicians in various parts of the state.“The BJP will never act against the union minister because it stands with criminals. If criminals are the happiest anywhere, it is under the BJP government,” he said.Eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed in the October 3 violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri. Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra, is among those arrested in connection with the incident.In an indirect attack to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, but without taking any names, Yadav said the ‘chillumjeevi’ was to distribute tablet computers among students now and wondered why it was not done in the last over four years. ‘Chillum’ is a clay smoking pipe often used by sadhus.He warned the people against the ‘chillumjeevi’ and asked them if they had understood who he was referring to.The UP chief minister distributed tablet computers and smartphones among youngsters recently.Addressing a public meeting later, Yadav said, “When farmers protested against agriculture laws, they were crushed under the wheels of vehicles.” Hitting out at the ruling BJP over three contentious farm laws of the Centre, he said, “I want to tell the farmers of Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh and the country that the manner in which the BJP has brought the three black laws, it will crush you like the (four) farmers were crushed and killed in Lakhimpur Kheri.”“As of now, farmers and laws have been crushed, and the Constitution might also be crushed. So, the BJP needs to be removed with the strength of votes,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added.On the state of affairs in the water-scarce Bundelkhand region, he said, “Maximum number of farmers have committed suicide in Mahoha, Hamirpur, Banda and the surrounding areas and after coming to power, the SP government will extend all facilities to farmers here, be it irrigation or mandis.” He alleged that the three new farm laws brought by the Centre will force farmers to quit farming and make them labourers.“There is very little time left for the election. The BJP does not want to give backward classes and Dalits their rights, and therefore, a caste-based census has not taken place till now. It should be done as the BJP says that Yadavs have benefitted the most. I want to tell them that they are misleading the people,” the SP chief said.Reiterating his charge that projects launched during his tenure as chief minister have been re-inaugurated and renamed by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav alleged that the current regime has sold government assets.He also alleged that in the name of a defence corridor in the Bundelkhand region, the land of farmers has been acquired but no industry has come up here.“This is a ‘sutli bomb’ (damp squib) of the BJP. They had shown the dream of a defence corridor and betrayed the poor people of Bundelkhand. These are people who tell lies and there is a need to be alert. Just think, if a yogi is telling lies, where will the people go?” Yadav said.Talking about the ‘Samajwadi pension scheme’ launched by his government, he said that if needed, the amount under the scheme will be increased three-fold after the SP comes to power again.The scheme, started by Yadav in 2014, provides a monthly pension of ₹500 to families falling below the poverty line.

Hindustan Times

14-10-2021

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