Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘chillumjeevi’ remark during a rally stirred up a fresh row on Thursday, with the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti -- an umbrella body of Hindu seers-- demanding an apology for the “inappropriate comments on Sanatan Dharma”.
The controversy comes a day after Yadav took a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during the SP’s ‘Vijay Rath Yatra’ from Ghazipur to Lucknow as part of its poll campaign, saying that ‘chillumjeevi ‘ (those who smoke chillum) cannot take Uttar Pradesh on the path of happiness and development. UP goes to polls early next year.
“.... I see a rainbow of colours in front of me. The people who love only one colour cannot bring colour in anyone’s life. We Samajwadis take along everyone with us. But the ones who love only one colour and the chillumjeevis cannot take UP on path of happiness,” said Yadav while addressing a gathering in Ghazipur, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Hitting back, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, national general secretary of the Samiti, said: “Akhilesh Yadav’s inappropriate statement has angered saints across the country. Several leaders, including Akhilesh, make inappropriate comments on Sanatan Dharma, Bhagwan and saints every now and then. All such leaders should desist from this. We warn all such leaders to not drag seers into petty politics, otherwise, they would have to face the anger of Sanatanis.”
{{/usCountry}}Hitting back, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, national general secretary of the Samiti, said: “Akhilesh Yadav’s inappropriate statement has angered saints across the country. Several leaders, including Akhilesh, make inappropriate comments on Sanatan Dharma, Bhagwan and saints every now and then. All such leaders should desist from this. We warn all such leaders to not drag seers into petty politics, otherwise, they would have to face the anger of Sanatanis.”
{{/usCountry}}“According to the Sanatan tradition, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is the Peethadheeshvara (chief) of Gorakhnath Math which is revered all over the world. In India, since ancient times, ‘dharmasatta’ (rule of religion) has always been above the rule of law. By the right given to saints by the Constitution, Yogi Adityanath is the chief minister. Just because of this, no one gets the right to do dirty politics with him,” he added.
“Leaders like Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi are making petty remarks against ‘Sanatan Dharma’ only because of minority appeasement,” he said.
SP’s spokesperson for UP, Manoj Rai Dhoopchandi, however, said that Yadav did not name any person or community in his statement and had used the term generally. “The person who is blowing up the matter out of proportion seemed to be publicity-hungry and wanted his own publicity by connecting his name with the SP chief,” he said.
Last month, too, Yadav had stirred up a controversy by equating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with Mohammad Ali Jinnah. “Sardar Patel, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute and became barristers. They helped (India) get freedom and never backed away from any struggle,” Yadav had said during a rally.
The statement triggered sharp reactions from top BJP leaders, with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath saying: “A national hero Sardar Patel can’t be compared with Jinnah for the sake of vote bank politics,” he added.