Bulls almost hit my convoy on way to Fatehpur: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the state government over corruption in the construction of the Bundelkhand Expressway and welfare schemes for the poor. He accused the government of cheating farmers and fooling the poor with adulterated oil and low-quality ration. Akhilesh also claimed that the BJP deliberately sent bulls to disrupt his convoy and halt his program. He emphasized the need to expose the BJP's false promises and said that the SP's role within the opposition alliance INDIA will be significant. Akhilesh commented on Mayawati's decision not to field a candidate for the Ghosi bypoll, saying that the people have already decided to teach the BJP a lesson and help the SP win.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief on Friday lambasted the state government over corruption in the construction of Bundelkhand Expressway and welfare schemes for the poor.
Addressing newsmen on the sidelines of his ‘Lok Jagran Abhiyan’ in Fatehpur, Akhilesh said: “Pothole-filled roads make the extent of corruption in road construction clear. The same is the case with the Bundelkhand expressway. Had they made it well, built mandis along the way and established trades there, imagine how much the Bundelkhand people could have benefitted. But corruption ruined it.”
When asked about the incident of farmers blocking the state animal husbandry minister’s convoy by leaving stray cattle on the road in Bareilly on Thursday even as some called it an act of conspiracy, Akhilesh quipped: “It is no conspiracy: the bulls must have got a telegram from somewhere that the minister was passing through. If an investigation into it must be done, then the government must also investigate how my convoy almost got hit by bulls at many places between Banda and Fatehpur. The BJP people deliberately sent bulls on the way of our Lohia Vahini volunteers so that they get hurt, so that our programme fails, and my ‘rath’ halts.”
The former CM added: “This government is making a fool out of the poor people by giving them adulterated oil and ration worth ₹100 in the name of free grains; it is cheating farmers with ‘kisan samman rashi’. Farmers are dealing with real issues such as the non-availability of seeds, fertilizer, insecticides and pesticides, and the inflated prices of these items even as stray cattle are destroying their crops.”
How would they (BJP) make India a developed nation when they couldn’t even deal with the stay cattle issue, he wondered.
About the cadre training camps, Akhilesh said: “We’re making our cadre aware of the challenges in the times to come. How the BJP is waylaying people through slogans: neither the farmers’ income doubled, nor the unemployed got jobs; the one-trillion-dollar economy is merely a dream; investments claims are all talks and no reality. We are telling the cadre to expose the governments at the Centre and in the state, and the party (BJP).”
“Even the promises made from the Red Fort are lies... the U.P people will teach the BJP a lesson by ousting them from power,” he noted.
On INDIA and SP’s role in it:
“Within INDIA (the opposition alliance), our role will be significant. As far as seat sharing is concerned, the SP will contest from wherever it is strong”.
On Mayawati not fielding a candidate for Ghosi bypoll:
“This might be her party’s decision. Maybe it is a step to improve their image before the 2024 elections. But people in Ghosi have already decided that they will teach the BJP a lesson, and help the SP win.”
