One become yogi by actions, not by wearing clothes, says Akhilesh in dig at U.P. CM

Akhilesh Yadav criticizes Yogi Adityanath's saffron attire, accuses BJP of divisive politics ahead of Uttar Pradesh bypolls.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday (November 15, 2024) took potshots at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his saffron dress saying that one does not become a ‘yogi’ by wearing clothes, but rather by thinking and action.

He targeted the CM for negative attitude in the context of the government’s regular bulldozer action getting halted by the Supreme Court and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of doing politics based on dividing people.

“They want to do politics by dividing, we socialists want to do politics by uniting, raising the slogan of PDA. We want to form the government by working and serving the people, these people (the BJP) want to remain in the government by deceiving the people,” Mr. Yadav said while addressing a public meeting under Khair Assembly seat in Aligarh.

He added: “One does not become a yogi by wearing clothes, one becomes a yogi by thinking and action. People of the whole country like harmony. No one accepts negativity. BJP people are descendants of the British ideology. They want to win the elections by following their path.”

Nine Assembly seats of Sisamau in Kanpur, Katehri in Ambedkar Nagar, Kundarki in Moradabad, Ghaziabad in Ghaziabad, Majhwan in Mirzapur, Karhal in Mainpuri district, Khair in Aligarh, Phulpur in Prayagrah and Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district are going for bypolls on November 20.

Speaking about the top court holding that it is illegal to demolish buildings or houses merely because it is owned or occupied by a person who is accused of a crime, while also issuing detailed directions aimed at curbing such ‘bulldozer justice’, the SP leader said, “Those who we expect to run the government, were operating bulldozers. We want to congratulate the Supreme Court for putting the bulldozer in the garage forever.”

Accusing the BJP of discriminating with backwards, Dalits and minorities in higher education, the SP leader alleged that in any university in U.P. even 75 years after independence still less has less than 15% appointment from the Pichda, Dalit and Minority (PDA) communities. “We ask why there is discrimination in the universities of the country, Even 15% people from PDA families are not able to get jobs. They are facing discrimination and injustice. This is a long fight for the Constitution,” Mr. Yadav said.