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Land of ordinary people was unsafe during SP rule: UP dy CM Pathak

BJP leaders criticized the Samajwadi Party for enabling cow smuggling and illegal activities, claiming a focus on power rather than public welfare.

Published on: Sep 17, 2025, 20:54:12 IST
By , Lucknow
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened a broadside with the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday, with its leaders alleging that during its regime cow smugglers had a free run and illegal slaughterhouses flourished. The party also accused SP president, Akhilesh Yadav, of having no other agenda except to grab power.

UP deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak (HT File Photo)
UP deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak (HT File Photo)

Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said that during the Samajwadi Party regime artistes were invited from Mumbai to Saifai, and the money was spent from the government treasury.

Pathak said that Akhilesh Yadav has made many misleading and fabricated statements “today. I would like to respond to all these statements.”

Advising Yadav to introspect, Pathak said, “Why do you (Akhilesh Yadav) keep bringing up bulldozers from time to time? This bulldozer has broken the backbone of the mafia who used to make illegal money. Don’t even talk about farmers as you have nothing to do with them.”

Pathak said that Akhilesh was referring to the land mafia. During the Samajwadi Party’s rule, government land was encroached upon under their protection. Not only this, but even the land of ordinary people was encroached upon by goons, mafia, and criminals under the protection of the Samajwadi Party.

“Before discussing law and order, you should inspect your own conscience,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary on Wednesday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and its chief, Akhilesh Yadav, of indulging in “politics of lies and rumours” with no concrete agenda except grabbing power.

He alleged that during the SP regime, cow smugglers enjoyed protection and illegal slaughterhouses flourished, while the Yogi Adityanath government has taken strict action. He charged the SP with pursuing Muslim appeasement and said its politics was centred on family, caste and shielding criminals.

“Akhilesh Yadav has been reduced to Twitter and press statements, while BJP workers are reaching out to people in villages with the message of service and development,” Chaudhary said, adding that the people of UP had repeatedly reposed faith in the BJP and would back it again in 2027.

Meanwhile, Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh launched a scathing attack on Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday and said during the SP regime, the state had become a den of goons and mafia.

“The BJP government under Yogi Adityanath has ensured the rule of law, security, and development in the state. During the SP regime, the land mafia was a terror. Bullies and goons were given respect, flown around in helicopters, and they seized the land of the poor. So far, under the Yogi government, illegal property worth 20,000 crore has been seized. Mafia are in jail and bulldozers have been used against them. The crackdown under the Goonda Act has made the state peaceful and investment-friendly,” said the minister in a press statement.

Singh said, “Why is Akhilesh afraid of bulldozers? Has the bulldozer ever run over anyone close to you? Under the Yogi government, bulldozers only target the mafia and criminals, not the innocent.”

Singh said that during the SP regime, riots occurred every year—whether in Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Moradabad, or Meerut. Criminals had a foothold from police stations to the secretariat. He also accused the SP of using fake voter IDs and booth capturing.