Political row erupts over cow dung in U.P.

Akhilesh Yadav criticizes BJP's focus on cowsheds over development, prompting a backlash from Keshav Prasad Maurya, highlighting political tensions in UP.

A fresh political clash erupted in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at the BJP, saying the party prefers “durgandh” (foul smell) and is focused on building “Gaushalas” (cowsheds), while his government promoted “perfume parks.”

The SP chief was referring to the BJP’s poor show in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in which the party’s tally in UP fell to 33 in 2024 from 62 in 2019 (Sourced)

Reacting sharply, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya accused Yadav of being disconnected from his rural roots. “If a farmer’s son finds cow dung foul-smelling, it means he has lost touch with his society. Munshi Premchand once wrote that if a farmer’s son dislikes cow dung, famine is inevitable. If Akhilesh Yadav finds cow dung stinky, his party is certainly heading towards political extinction,” Maurya posted on X.

Yadav made the remarks on Wednesday in Kannauj, his Parliamentary constituency, stating, “Kannauj has always spread the fragrance of brotherhood. But the BJP spreads the stench of hatred. I urge the people to remove this BJP stench completely. It has been reduced to some extent, but next time, remove it entirely so that development projects in Kannauj can be completed.”

Referring to BJP’s dip in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Yadav said, “The government claims to be capturing stray bulls, but the money for the task is being siphoned off. We appreciate fragrance, but they prefer foul smells.”

The SP chief was referring to the BJP’s poor show in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in which the party’s tally in UP fell to 33 in 2024 from 62 in 2019, while the SP registered its best-ever performance, winning 37 seats.