Farmers Movement Archive

Akhilesh Yadav takes jibe at PM’s Kashi visit; BJP hits back

KANPUR In a loaded remark on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav taunted him, saying people stay in Kashi when the end is near.Yadav was apparently suggesting that the BJP government was in its “final days” in Uttar Pradesh.“It is very good, he (PM) can stay there for not one month, but two or even three months. That is a good place to stay; people spend their final days in Banaras,” he said when asked by reporters that the PM is in Varanasi and the government has planned month-long cultural events to mark the event.The elections to the UP Assembly are due within three months and the SP claims that it will oust the BJP from power. In Hindu religion, spending last days of life in Kashi is considered auspicious.The SP chief also took a swipe at the BJP, saying they should “avoid telling lies” before God. He hit out at the BJP for claiming the credit of developmental works, which he claimed were done by his government.On Sunday, Akhilesh had claimed that it was during his tenure that the Kashi Vishwanath corridor project was approved, for which he has “documentary evidence”.“The three farm laws should have been repealed long time ago. But the government did not do that and as a result 600 farmers lost their lives. The BJP government has withdrawn the laws fearing a backlash from farmers who will not forgot the inhumane treatment they were meted out and will give a befitting reply during the elections,” said Yadav in his native village Saifai in Etawah district on Monday. He said the government had made electricity so costly that farmers struggled to afford it while they also had brave long queues to get urea.Alleging discrimination against his native district Etawah by the ruling dispensation, Yadav said: “The cricket stadium in Etawah could have hosted IPL matches had it not been slow pace of development. The lion safari, our dream project, is incomplete while the astro turf is also being neglected.” Meanwhile, the BJP government and the party hit out at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over his remark that “Kashi is meant for stay during one’s last days” that he made in response to a query on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Slamming the SP chief over the remark, UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh sought an apology from Akhilesh and also demanded that the SP chief should visit the KV temple to seek forgiveness for his comment. “His remarks against the visionary Prime Minister were disgusting and in such bad taste. I pray to God to put some sense in Akhilesh ji. The SP chief must apologise and visit Kashi Vishwanath (temple) to seek forgiveness for his sins,” the UP BJP chief said. Inputs from PTI

Hindustan Times

14-12-2021

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