Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Thursday, invoking the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel while calling for decisive action against what he described as divisive ideology.
Addressing a gathering in Lucknow, Yadav said, “…today, the need is that someone in this country should become Sardar Patel and ban this (RSS) ideology again.”
He praised Patel’s pivotal role in uniting the nation after Independence, stating, “Sardar Patel made a huge contribution. He united the country, abolished princely states, made our country strong, and stood up for the farmers. We can never forget his contribution. The Bharatiya Janata Party should remember that its parent party, that organisation was banned by Sardar Patel, and today the need is that someone become a Sardar Patel in this country and ban this ideology again.”
The SP Chief further attacked the BJP over recent global criticism, remarking, “The US President called our Prime Minister a killer. The Bharatiya Janata Party should explain why a country like America is calling its Prime Minister a killer…”
He also expressed concern about electoral integrity and accused the ruling party of caste bias in administrative appointments. “We are ready for anything. But we will not allow the vote to be rigged. Just think how casteist the people of the Bharatiya Janata Party are. They are not making BLOs from the PDA community,” Yadav said.
