E-Paper
‘BJP insulting Lord Ram saying they brought him’: Akhilesh Yadav
Yadav accused the BJP of politicising religion and urged them to refrain from such comments.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday criticized the ruling BJP stating that they insulted Lord Ram by claiming to have ‘brought’ him to the Ayodhya temple. Yadav said that Ram has always resided in people's hearts. The Samajwadi Party leader further emphasized that Lord Ram is eternal and doesn't need to be ‘brought’ anywhere.
“Lord Ram will always be there. When we were not there, Lord Ram was, and when we would no longer be there, Ram would still be there. Therefore, by saying that you have brought Lord Ram, you are not only insulting Lord Ram, but also religion,” Yadav said.
Speaking at the budget session in UP, the SP chief also highlighted the substantial amount of money spent on the beautification of Ayodhya before the consecration of the Ram Temple. Yadav criticized the lack of transparency in expenditure and questioned whether it addresses the needs of the majority of the population. He also accused the BJP of favouring the wealthy minority over the majority.
"The policy of the BJP is not for the common public of the state. It keeps 90 per cent of the budget for the 10 per cent rich people. And only 10 per cent of the budget for the 90 per cent of the needy people," he said.
Yadav further raised concerns about various issues plaguing the state, such as inflation, law and order, unemployment, and farmer distress, questioning whether the budget adequately addresses these issues. He questioned the effectiveness of a large budget, emphasizing that mere size doesn't guarantee effectiveness.
"Will the farmer get the right price for his crop? Whether the income of the farmers will be doubled? Will the labourer get the right price for his hard work?" Yadav asked and used a Hindi proverb claiming that big is not always better. "Bada hua to kya hua jaise ped khajoor, panchi ko chhaaya nahi, phal lage ati door," he recited.
On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh government unveiled a budget of ₹7.36 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25, emphasizing infrastructure enhancement and the well-being of women, youth, and farmers. The government announced that the state's annual budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be devoted to Lord Ram and will prioritize public well-being.
(With inputs from agencies)
