Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav.
Highlights
- Akhilesh Yadav has said China is India's real enemy but Pakistan is a political one
- BJP slammed Akhilesh Yadav saying this is height of appeasement
- Akhilesh said BJP only targets Pakistan due to vote politics
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has once again raised the political temperature in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh after his 'China is India's real enemy and not Pakistan' statement. China is our real enemy but Pakistan is a political one, said Akhilesh Yadav in an interview to an English daily. Assembly Elections 2022: FULL COVERAGE
The former UP chief minister, who is claiming that his party will come back to power with a thumping majority in the state, slammed BJP and alleged that the saffron party only targets Pakistan because of their vote politics. However, the BJP hit back at Akhilesh saying his statement is the height of appeasement. Earlier in November 2021, Akhilesh Yadav compared Mohammad Ali Jinnah to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Nehru, saying they fought for India's freedom. | READ MORE
Speaking in an interview with The Economic Times, Akhilesh Yadav further said that his party was the only one that raised the question of when will we (India) have members on 24 assembly seats in PoK. He also raised India's border issues with China such as Galwan and asked the ruling government to consult with the opposition on how to deal with the situation.
This is not the first time 'Pakistan' has become a topic of debate during elections in India.
In 2014, Congress in its manifesto for Lok Sabha elections said that it will work towards improving relations with Pakistan and held the Pak government accountable for the 26/11 attacks, while BJP promised to address the demands of refugees from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
When the Modi government came into power after 2014, and after Uri attack (in Sep 2016), the Centre suspended talking relations with Pakistan. The then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj issued a statement saying terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.
Ever since then, the Modi government has kept talks suspended with Pakistan.
In 2015, Amit Shah, during a poll rally in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections said that if BJP loses in the state even by mistake, then crackers will be burst in Pakistan.
Even in newspapers advertisements in 2015, BJP targeted the then Nitish Kumar government for being soft on terrorists and not taking strict action at the time of arrest of Indian Mujahideen leader Yasin Bhatkal. At present, BJP is an alliance partner in Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) government in the state.
Now after Akhilesh's statement, the BJP mounted a blistering attack on Samajwadi Party president for his statement in which he reportedly said that it is China and not Pakistan which is India's real enemy.
Talking to reporters on Monday, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said that the SP chief's journey began with Jinnah and has come to its logical conclusion with Pakistan.
"Jo Jinnah se kare pyar, wo Pakistan se kaise kare inkaar. If Akhilesh has any morality left, he should immediately apologize for his statement," said Patra.
The spokesman further said that if Pakistan was not India's enemy, then why were Indian soldiers being killed in firing in Kashmir and why were terror attacks being orchestrated against India.
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"Akhilesh Yadav's statement is the height of appeasement," he stated.
Sambit Patra alleged that the SP was not releasing its list of candidates because it included mafia and goondas.
"I have been told by my friends in the media that candidates' names are being sent by WhatsApp but the list is not being officially released. SP released the name of Kairana candidate Nahid Hasan and everyone knows that he landed in jail," he said.
Patra further said that if Akhilesh had his way, he would have named Yakub Memon and Kasab as his candidates.
"If Akhilesh has any morality, he should publish his candidates' list so that the world can know what kind of people he has fielded," he said.
Referring to the SP letter to Election Commission, seeking a ban on opinion polls, Sambit Patra said that on March 10 when votes are counted, SP will blame the EVMs.
Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2022 will be conducted in 7 phases beginning from February 10 with the last phase on March 7 and counting of votes on March 10.
The election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, which is less than a month away from polls, is getting fierce with each day passing. Now with Akhilesh Yadav's Pakistan remark, has it given BJP the ammunition it was waiting for?
(With IANS inputs)
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