Farmers Movement Archive

‘Massive’ support on UP CM’s turf indication of BJP govt’s exit: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday attacked the BJP government on a number of issues ranging from rising fuel prices, farm laws, unemployment, privatisation and Covid pandemic while reiterating his claim that his party will come to power in the state with a thumping majority. Assembly polls are slated to be held in Uttar Pradesh early next year. Addressing a well-attended rally in Madapur area on the outskirts of Gorakhpur city after launching the third phase of his Samajwadi Vijay Yatra with a massive roadshow, he claimed, “This great excitement, enthusiasm and support that too in Babaji’s (a reference to CM Yogi Adityanath) region shows that this government (BJP) is on its way out as it has insulted and cheated people. No one has ever made such large numbers of fake promises as this government has done.” He further claimed that the SP was coming to power with a huge mandate and that the change will start from Gorakhpur. Taking a jibe at the CM, Akhilesh said, “Do you know why laptops are not being distributed? Because our Babaji doesn’t know how to use it.”As the yatra sees the SP chief travel on a bus, which has been converted into a “rath”, Akhilesh addressed people from atop this “rath” as he also waved a mace to people as a victory gesture. Attacking the BJP government over its “failure” in handling the pandemic, the former CM alleged, “Do you remember how our labourers walked on foot to home in huge numbers from various parts of the country, including Gujarat and Maharashtra? However, this government did nothing for them.”“Back then, the poor desperately needed hospitals, medicines and oxygen but the government failed to supply them, leading to uncountable deaths. Even today, this government is not able to provide proper treatment to the poor,” he further alleged.On rising fuel prices, the SP leader alleged, “In the last three months, the profit earned by oil companies has gone up to six hundred times. Can BJP tell where all this money is going? This is the BJP which is filling the pockets of the rich by cutting the pockets of the poor. They have sold off public properties from airport to railways. It was already a ‘Pheku Sarkar’ (a government which boasts of its achievements) which has now become a ‘Bechu Sarkar’ (a government which is selling off public properties).” “The (BJP) government had promised that it will make air travel so cheaper that even those who wear slippers only will be able to travel in planes . Leave alone the affordable plane travel, the common man is finding it difficult to use even a motorcycle as petrol prices have made a century (have crossed ₹100-mark),” Akhilesh said.Supporting the farmers’ ongoing stir against the Centre’s three farm laws, the former CM said, “This government is not listening to the demands of the farmers who have been staging a demonstration since long as the government doesn’t worry about them but about its rich friends. If this government comes to power again, it will crush the farmers’ movement.”Seeking people’s support for his party, he also said the forthcoming UP election would be a battle to save all four pillars of democracy and the Indian Constitution. The former chief minister began his Samajwadi Vijay Yatra on October 12 in Kanpur which ended on October 13, covering Kanpur Dehat, Jalaun and Hamirpur. The second phase, meanwhile, was held in Hardoi on October 31.

Hindustan Times

13-11-2021

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