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Journalism of Courage
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Akhilesh Yadav, who led the SP legislators’ protest during Governor Anandiben Patel’s speech to the joint sitting of the House on Monday, raised the demand for holding a caste census in the state and said that since Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath “hails from another state”, he has no interest in doing so.
“Mukhyamantri dusare pradesh se aaye hain, unhe Uttar Pradesh ki jatiya janganana se koi matalab nahi hai… UP ki janta jatiya janganana chahti hai. Jatiya janganana ho, tabhi haq samman mil payega, warna Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar ke sapne adhure rahenge (Chief Minister has come from another state. That is why he has nothing to do with the caste census in Uttar Pradesh. The people of Uttar Pradesh want a caste census. If it is held, then only people would get their rights and honour, and dreams of Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar could be fulfilled),” Akhilesh told mediapersons outside the Assembly.
Asking CM Aditynath to clarify his stand on the issue, Akhilesh added: “Mukhyamantri-ji ko sweekar karna chahiye ki hum jatiya janganana nahi kar sakte hain (The chief minister should accept that he cannot conduct the caste census).”
“The ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ (with all, for everyone’s development) motto of the ‘double-engine’ government at the Centre and the state would be possible only after the caste census is done,” the SP chief said, adding that his party was not alone in raising the issue.
“Caste census is not a new demand of the party. The demand for caste census was raised by SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, socialist leaders like Sharad Yadav, Lalu Prasad and other leaders from south India during the UPA government led by the Congress. I am only making the demand again and the Samajwadi Party will continue to demand it,” he said.
The SP chief also hit out at the government over manhandling of MLAs and photojournalists on the Assembly premises ahead of the Governor’s address. “Sadan mein bulldozer aayega kya? (Will bulldozer be now called in inside the Assembly),” he asked.
“Jo sarkar patraakar sathiyon pe lathi chala de, garib ki jhopri mein aag lagake maa-beti ki jaan lele ush se kya umeed!” (The government which beats up journalists, set fire to the poor’s house and takes the lives of mother and daughter, what can you expect from it?),” Akhilesh said referring to the incident in a Kanpur Dehat village where a 45-year-old woman and her daughter died of burning during an anti-encroachment drive.
“Ram Rajya is not about killing a mother and daughter using a bulldozer,” he said and called the Kanpur deaths “unfortunate”.
Alleging that the government “failed to safeguard flowers and flower pots used to decorate the city for Global Investors Summit and G20 events,” the Leader of the Opposition said: “So, how can the government implement and safeguard about Rs 40 lakh crore investment that it claims to have received… There is no law and order in the state. How can the government get investment if they run around with bulldozer?” The BJP government is just showing big dreams to people, he added.
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