News Analysis India

Tag: Samajwadi Party

  • On visit to UP, Amit Shah coins acronym ‘JAM’ to take dig at Akhilesh over Jinnah statement

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Taking a dig at the opposition, especially the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, Union Home Minister Amit Shah coined an acronym ‘JAM’ to prove a point that while PM Modi used it to eradicate corruption in the country through Jan Dhan account, Aadhaar card and mobile phones, the previous Akhilesh government redefined it by showing his liking for Jinnah, Azam Khan and Mukhtar.

    The Home Minister, who was on a two-day visit to Purvanchal in Uttar Pradesh, put forth his thoughts during two back-to-back public rallies in Azamgarh and Basti. 

    In Azamgarh, Shah laid the foundation stone of a state university named after popular Rajbhar king Suheldev, while in Basti, he inaugurated the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh.

    “We brought in JAM — J for Jan-Dhan account, A for Aadhaar card, M for mobile phones, Samajwadi Party also claimed to have brought a JAM. It stands for Jinnah, Azam Khan and Mukhtar (Ansari),” Shah said while addressing a rally in Azamgarh.

    Shah’s remark comes close on the heels of the SP chief’s controversial statement on Mohammad Ali Jinnah where he had compared the Muslim League leader with Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel saying his contribution tothe country’s freedom struggle was equally great.

    Shah accused Akhilesh of appeasement in a veiled attack saying that as the UP assembly polls were inching closer, Akhilesh Yadav’s liking for Jinnah was also surfacing and he was glorifying the leader who played a key role in the nation’s partition.

    Shah also took a swipe at the previous regimes saying during their governments, Azamgarh became infamous as a safe haven for terrorists. “Azamgarh, which was portrayed as the nursery for terrorism during previous governments, will soon become a temple of Goddess Saraswati and a seat of education for the youth of eastern UP,” said Shah.

    The Home Minister invoked Maharaja Suheldev during his speech as the one who fought against the invaders to make the land free.

    Moreover, the state government decided to name the university, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Home Minister on Saturday, after Maharaja Suheldev in political symbolism to woo the Rajbhar community which makes around 12 per cent of the electorate in the eastern region. The community has a sway in over 60 seats of eastern UP.

    It may be recalled that the Suheldev Bharat Samaj Party (SBSP), led by OP Rajbhar, had contested the previous assembly election in alliance with the BJP and had bagged four seats for the first time. However, this time Rajbhar has tied up with the Samajwadi Party (SP).

    At the same time, Shah also patted the back of UP CM Yogi Adityanath for proper implementation of central schemes, apt COVID management and leading the state on the path of development during his speeches at both Azamgarh and Basti.

    He listed out the parameters of development including the state’s GDP which he claimed had gone up from Rs 10 lakh 90,000 crore to over Rs 21 lakh crore. “Similarly, during the last five years, the unemployment rate has come down from 17.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent,” claimed Shah.

    Both in Azamgarh and Basti, Shah appreciated the Yogi government over the law and order situation saying CM Yogi had rid the state of ‘mosquito and mafia’. “While JE, which used to devour many lives in the past, is no more a menace, the mafia have been forced to take refuge outside UP under the Yogi government,” he added. In Basti, Shah was all praise for CM Yogi for making the state riot-free during the last five years of his governance.

    The Home Minister then gave a religious colour to his discourse saying, “SP, BSP and Congress used to mock us over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. They can now see that a Ram temple is taking shape in Ayodhya in all its grandeur.”

    Shah also mentioned that it was due to the grit and determination of PM Modi that Article 370, the removal of which had been promised and part of the BJP manifesto since the times of the Jan Sangh, was abolished making Kashmir an integral part of the country in the true sense.

    Earlier, the Union home minister participated in the Akhil Rajbhasha Sammelan in Varanasi where he urged the people of the country to use Hindi more and more in their conversation to make it more popular as it was the pride of the country.

    “I like Hindi more than Gujarati. It is such a beautiful language. We all should take pride in using it as the national language in our daily conversation. We should never feel ashamed of the language which is a part of our rich cultural heritage,” said Shah.

  • UP would have faced no problem had Yogi not migrated here from Uttarakhand: Akhilesh

    Adityanath was born as Ajay Mohan Bisht in Panchur village of Pauri Garhwal in June 1972 before the formation of Uttarakhand out of Uttar Pradesh.

  • Shivpal Yadav​ seeks his party’s merger with Samajwadi Party yet again

    By PTI

    BALRAMPUR: Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia chief Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday said he was ready for his party’s “merger” with the Samajwadi Party if its president Akhilesh Yadav agrees to field PSPL’s winning candidates in the assembly polls.

    Shivpal Yadav has sought a merger or alliance of his party with the Samajwadi Party several times, the latest being on Tuesday in Barabanki, saying that Akhilesh Yadav should decide on an alliance or merger without delay.

    “We are ready for any sacrifice to remove the BJP from power. If Akhilesh Yadav gives tickets to our winning candidates, we are ready for any sacrifice, including an unconditional merger with the SP,” Shivpal Yadav told reporter here while participating in his party’s Samajik Parivartan Yatra.

    SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger brother Shivpal Yadav had been trying to patch up with his nephew Akhilesh Yadav for a long time but he has not got any clear response from the SP.

    Talking of the Lakhimpur incident, the PSPL chief said it is clear now from the Forensic Science Lab report that Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra had opened fire.

    Accordingly, the minister should be immediately sacked, he demanded.

    Attacking the BJP, he said the party has not fulfilled its promises and crime and corruption have reached its peak in the present regime.

  • ‘Samajwad’ in a bottle: SP launches perfume, says smells of socialism

    Speaking on the occasion, party president Akhilesh Yadav said people will go among the public applying this perfume to make them remember socialist ideology and the Samajwadi Party.

  • Opposition parties patronising cow slaughter, cattle smuggling: Yogi Adityanath

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday blamed the previous regimes for patronizing the illegal slaughterhouses and letting the cow slaughter and cattle smuggling continue unchecked in the state.

    “Cow smuggling has always been a major issue in Uttar Pradesh as ‘gau-taskari aur avaidh bucharkhane toh pichhli sarkaron ki pehchan thi’ (cattle smuggling and illegal slaughterhouses used to be the hallmarks of previous governments). When we came, all illegal slaughterhouses were closed to restrict cattle smuggling completely. We worked for cow protection,” said CM Yogi while addressing a public rally after inaugurating 50 projects worth Rs 1,118 crore and laying the foundation of over 146 projects worth Rs 211 crore in Baduan on Tuesday.

    Continuing his tirade against the opposition, especially, the Samajwadi Party without taking the name, CM Yogi brought the issue of communal riots during festivals and law and order situations under previous regimes into his discourse. “There used to be frequent riots during the festivals. People were not free to celebrate their festivals as per their wishes as curfew used to be imposed before all festivals. But the state has not witnessed even a single riot during the last four and a half years,” he said.

    He added that the situation had changed for good now. “Be it Diwali, Dhanteras, or Bhaiya Dooj, it is celebrated in every district in a peaceful manner and with gaiety. Before 2017, even though there was no pandemic, there used to be a curfew. ‘Aastha par kutharaghat hota tha (the faith used to be trampled)’. Moreover, if anyone used to raise voice against such elements, false cases were filed against him,” he added.

    ALSO READ | 2022 UP polls: Akhilesh threatens stir, says EC deleted details of 16 lakh voters from  list 

    Yogi claimed that during the pandemic, the opposition leaders confined themselves to the safety of their homes. However, Yogi said, he along with the public representatives and Covid warriors were out to strengthen the system in the state. “They were limited to Twitter only. When they were busy on Twitter during the pandemic, they must get an answer on Twitter only in the upcoming elections,” CM Yogi said while taking a jibe on the opposition.

    Yogi further said that while the erstwhile governments of Uttar Pradesh considered their families to be the state, for him, the state was his family. “Their only agenda was to buy a property, an island abroad,” he added.

    “Earlier, if there were vacancies in the state, the whole family used to go out on the recovery. The family reminds us of Mahabharat- ‘koi chacha, koi bhatija, koi mama, koi babua’. Our government gave 4.5 lakh jobs and no one can raise a question on the recruitment process,” he asserted. 

    Discussing his government’s policy of zero-tolerance against crimes and criminals, the CM said UP had emerged as a riot-free, crime-free state. At the same time, UP has also set an example in taking action against the organised crime syndicates, mafia who grew under the protection of power earlier.

    He announced that the extension of the free ration distribution scheme till Holi saying: “Under the free ration scheme, 35kg of food grains, 1kg of pulses, 1kg of cooking oil, 1kg of sugar, and 1kg of salt shall be given, depending on the number of family members.”

    He also highlighted the measure taken in favour of farmers during his government’s tenure. Later he proceeded to Shajahnapur to launch and lay the foundation stone of welfare schemes worth Rs 500 crore.

  • Freeing terrorists was among first acts of Samajwadi Party in 2012: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday asked people to remember that freeing terrorists involved in attacking Sri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya were among the first acts of the Samajwadi Party government in 2012.

    Adityanath made the allegations while addressing a rally in Budaun, one of the strongholds of the Samajwadi Party.

    “Try to remember what was the first thing done by the Samajwadi Party when it came to power in 2012. First, riots took place in Kosikalan, then in Bareilly and then in Muzaffarnagar and Lucknow and Kanpur. There was no district in the state where riots did not take place. After coming to power, the SP did nothing for the poor, women, youth and farmers but withdrew cases against the terrorists who had attacked Shri Ram Janmabhoomi,” said the chief minister.

    “The previous government used to withdraw cases against terrorists and rioters and invite them to the CM’s residence to honour them. But our government sent terrorists to their ‘Lok’ (world). There is no leniency with terrorists nor any compromise with rioters,” he said.

    Before 2017, the law and order situation in UP was bad, festivals were never allowed to be held peacefully and anarchy was at its peak, the chief minister said, adding the women and girls did not feel safe in the state.

    He said that no one was willing to invest either here as they knew investing here was not safe. “In the last four-and-half years, all festivals have been held peacefully. Before 2017, there was no COVID-19 pandemic but owing to curfew during festivals, there was an attack on our faith,” he said.

    “If someone raised a voice against rioters, they were framed in false cases and harassed. After 2017, however, there have been no riots in the state,” he added.

    Adityanath also said owing to a zero-tolerance policy of his government against crime and criminals, UP has become an example in the country on how to act against criminals enjoying the patronage of those in power. “Properties of the mafia dons worth Rs 1,800 crore have been seized and properties worth almost the same amount which could not be seized, were razed to the ground by bulldozers,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over pace of probe in Lakhimpur Kheri case

    Terming Ayodhya as “our identity”, the chief minister said once people hesitated in visiting Ayodhya and doubted the very existence of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna besides questioning the need of having a Ram temple there.

    “But you have seen how the UP government organised the Deepawali Utsav in Ayodhya that the entire world saw. We attracted the country and the world towards Deepawali in Ayodhya by making the festival an event,” the chief minister pointed out.

    Accusing the previous SP government of indulging in corruption and undermining the identity of the people of the state, Adityanath asserted, “Their agenda was confined to them and their families. And that is why each of their work reflected their ego. But in the last four-and-half years, you have seen a new UP and a changing image of UP.”

    Accusing the opposition parties of isolating themselves from people during the pandemic, Adityanath said, “At the time of COVID-19, the Union and state governments and BJP public representatives ventured out to serve people but nothing was known about opposition leaders. All of them were in home isolation and self-quarantine. When these people did not reach out to you at the time of crisis, they should be asked to keep aloof in elections as well. They were on Twitter during the pandemic and they will be given replies on Twitter itself.”

    He said that Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the number one state in many schemes of the Centre and sought to know why the welfare schemes were not implemented before 2017. “For previous governments, their own dynasty was the state. The 24-25 crore people of the state never meant anything to them. They were only interested in their own families earning money, buying property abroad and securing their families by purchasing an island,” Adityanath said.

    “Keeping the state safe was not their agenda. They embraced criminal and mafia elements, let the law and order situation worsen. They had no agenda of development either. But for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and me, 130 crore people of the country, including 25 crore of UP are our family,” he said.

  • Samajwadi Party​ chief Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over pace of probe in Lakhimpur Kheri case

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit out at the BJP over the Supreme Court’s observations on the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri case, charging that the saffron party decides whom to implicate and where to take the investigation.

    He also charged that the BJP’s three engines — Delhi engine, Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine — are destroying law and order in Uttar Pradesh.

    The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that a former judge of a “different high court” should monitor the Uttar Pradesh SIT probe on day-to-day basis in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case to infuse “independence, impartiality and fairness”, saying the investigation was not going the way it expected Yadav said there is no hope of justice in the Lakhimpur case till the BJP is in power in the state

    “The Supreme Court is saying that efforts are being made to save the accused in the Lakhimpur case. The courts have raised questions on the law and order of the state many times in the past. Why is the government not accepting the matter of monitoring of probe? We are already saying that as long as the BJP is in government here, there is no hope of justice in this case,” he told a press conference.

    “Three engines of BJP are destroying law and order. First is the Delhi engine, then the Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine,” Yadav said while pointing fingers at the Centre, State and Union Minister of state Ajay Mishra whose son Ashish Mishra is named as an accused in the case.

    “The Minister of State for Home (Ajay Mishra), whose son was arrested in this case, has not been sacked yet,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, adding that the Supreme Court has raised questions on the SIT.

    “BJP decides whom to implicate, whom to follow, where to take the investigation. When will the SIT finally itself be probed?,” he said.

    Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in the convoy at Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre’s three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

    Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, and a local journalist was killed in the violence Regarding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s allegation of patronising of crime and criminals in the previous SP government, the SP chief said, “Which chief minister is speaking this after all. He should tell what sections were imposed on him, which he himself withdrew after becoming the CM.”

    Referring to the demonetisation carried out by the BJP government at the Centre in November 2016, Yadav said that despite so many years of this decision, the BJP was not telling what benefits it has given “What was called a masterstroke turned out to be a brain stroke. It was done deliberately to harass the public,” he alleged.

    Yadav said after demonetisation, the assurance was given that black money stashed in foreign banks will be bought back. “There was talk of ending corruption but corruption has increased on a large-scale. BJP’s wrong policies are responsible for the plight of the economy,” he said.

    Alleging that a large number of youths, traders and farmers have committed suicide due to demonetisation, he said, “Does the government have any answer for this? This government did demonetisation to benefit big people. Today more cash has come in the market than it was in circulation earlier. BJP is master in doing propaganda.”

    Referring to Rakesh Pratap Singh, two-time MLA from Gauriganj seat, who is on a fast to protest against non-construction of two roads in his constituency, Yadav said, “One of our MLAs is on dharna. There is an appeal to him that to end the hunger strike against the ‘deaf and blind’ government. I appeal you to end the dharna and get healthy and fight with this government.”

    He said that Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Choudhary would visit Singh and persuade him to end his fast. Singh, who was fasting to death in the capital, was forcibly admitted to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital by the police on Friday after his health deteriorated.

    During the press conference, birthday of a boy, who was born in a bank queue in Kanpur after demonetisation, was celebrated with party leaders giving him gifts.

  • BJP should ask Advani why he offered ‘chadar’ at Jinnah’s tomb in Pakistan: SP leader 

    Narad Rai asked Anand Swaroop Shukla, who had made serious allegations against Yadav over the issue, that he should first read the history of his party.

  • Dalit, backwards shouldn’t expect anything from Samajwadi Party: Mayawati 

    In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Verma had won from the Katehari seat, while Rajbhar won from the Akbarpur assembly constituency.

  • UP polls: RLD chief rules out possibility of alliance with Congress

    By PTI

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary ruled out the possibility of an alliance with the Congress in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

    Talking to reporters in Shamli Sunday evening, he asserted that his party’s alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) was in “final stage”.

    The RLD leader had recently met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the Lucknow airport, and later both of them left for Delhi in a chartered aircraft of the Chhattisgarh government, a development that set tongues wagging in political circles.

    On being asked that the meeting was perceived as arm-twisting tactics of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) to exert pressure on SP with regard to seat sharing for the state polls, a senior RLD leader had said, “No pressure has been exerted by anyone. This was an informal meeting (shishtaachaar bhet), and it was prevalent among leaders of earlier times. The BJP has changed this trend, and people have become enemies of each other in politics.”

    Meanwhile, Choudhary said the RLD will fulfill all promises made in the party manifesto, including one crore jobs to youths, setting state advisory price (SAP) for sugarcane and guaranteed payments within 14 days, if it is voted to power in the state.

    He also opposed the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act 2003.