Mulayam: No govt money used in b’day celebrations

Even as the governor Ram Naik made caustic comments on the birthday celebrations of the SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav in Rampur on November 21-22, Yadav clarified on Sunday no government money was used for the celebrations.

Even as the governor Ram Naik made caustic comments on the birthday celebrations of the SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav in Rampur on November 21-22, Yadav clarified on Sunday no government money was used for the celebrations.

Referring to the grand celebrations, the governor, during a visit to Varanasi on Saturday told the media that “people are watching everything”. He added, “I had expected something better on Yadav’s birthday. He is a veteran politician and had been CM of UP three times”.

In reply, Yadav, without mentioning Naik’s name clarified that it was purely private function, at the foundation-laying ceremony of Agra-Lucknow expressway at CM’s residence. He said that the distribution of tricycles, etc, that are part of government schemes were going on all over the state.

Naik had also made a passing comment on urban development minister Azam Khan’s controversial comment on funds arranged for the lavish celebrations. When asked about the source of the funds, Khan on Friday said, “It is all funded by Taliban, Dawood.”

Naik said “it is for the CM and the SP to look into the controversial statement”.