UPI charge akin to ‘chungi’, aims to extract money from people: Akhilesh

Addressing media persons at the party’s state headquarters here, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party was opposed to any plan to collect money through UPI. “BJP people are ‘chungijeevi’. To turn the economy into a trillion-dollar one, this is all that is left for the chungijeevi,” he said.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday attacked the BJP government over the newly announced Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select UPI transactions. He likened the charge to the old “chungi” system of toll collection and alleged that it was aimed at extracting money from people.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and others during Vishwakarma Puja at the party headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday. (HT)

Addressing media persons at the party’s state headquarters here, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party was opposed to any plan to collect money through UPI. “BJP people are ‘chungijeevi’. To turn the economy into a trillion-dollar one, this is all that is left for the chungijeevi,” he said.

The former chief minister accused the BJP government of breaking all records of corruption, loot and dishonesty. He alleged that law and order had collapsed across the state, with murders taking place even in Lucknow. He also alleged that the situation in Gorakhpur was particularly alarming and that women and girls were not safe under the present regime.

Yadav claimed that Uttar Pradesh records the highest number of crimes against women and cyber crimes in the country and alleged that the BJP had “ruined” the state.

Turning to infrastructure, Yadav alleged large-scale loot of funds in construction works and said projects executed under the BJP government were of poor quality. He contrasted these with the Agra-Lucknow Expressway built during the Samajwadi Party government, which he described as “world-class”.

Fighter jets had landed on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the road remained in good condition, he claimed, adding that the National Highways Authority of India was now copying its design.

In contrast, Yadav alleged that expressways built under the BJP government were developing potholes and cracks soon after inauguration. The Bundelkhand Expressway, he said, began deteriorating after its inauguration by the Prime Minister and was still under maintenance. He alleged irregularities in the Gorakhpur Link Expressway, where work was still continuing.

Yadav also claimed that the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway had developed potholes and that an RCC bridge had started collapsing two days ago. The Ganga Expressway, he alleged, turns into a “water expressway” during rains.

“Schemes are being made to fill the pockets of industrialists. Whatever work was done under the Samajwadi Party government was world-class. Under the BJP, whatever is built falls first,” Yadav said. He added that roads and even laptops distributed during the previous SP government were still functioning.

The Kannauj MP alleged that there were no jobs for the youth and unemployment was rising. He said the government had announced one lakh jobs, but the figures for July, August and September remained zero. Young people were still waiting for employment, he claimed.

Yadav said a Samajwadi Party government would create avenues for jobs and livelihoods. He alleged that the BJP government had no answers on inflation, unemployment and corruption and was avoiding questions on these issues, describing it as the “weakest government”.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party president offered floral tributes to Lord Vishwakarma at the party’s state headquarters here on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti on Thursday.

Yadav announced that if the Samajwadi Party returned to power, Vishwakarma Jayanti would be declared a public holiday in Uttar Pradesh as earlier. He further said a grand and modern temple dedicated to Lord Vishwakarma would be constructed on the Gomti Riverfront in Lucknow. The SP chief also assured artisans and craftsmen from the Vishwakarma community that they would be provided market access, all-round support and due recognition.

UP ex-minister Kushwaha quits BJP, returns to SP

Former Uttar Pradesh minister and OBC leader Ram Asrey Kushwaha quit the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and rejoined the Samajwadi Party. Once considered close to Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kushwaha formally took SP membership at the party’s state headquarters.

Several leaders from other parties also joined the SP on Thursday, including Nishad Party district president in Kannauj Anoop Kashyap, former RLD candidate from Mathura Ashok Kumar Agrawal, UP Lekhpal Union president Rajkumar Sagar, former BSP vice-president Arif Khan, and Apna Dal district president in Kanpur Dehat Ravi Patel.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav said their induction would strengthen the party and its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) base. He urged the new members to consolidate the party’s organisation in their respective towns, booths and surrounding areas.