Border tension with Pak should not affect harmony: Mulayam

A film on Mulayam Singh Yadav shown at the SP convention in Lucknow, Friday. (Source: Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

mileage from the ongoing firing at India-Pakistan border and urged his partymen to ensure that social harmony is maintained in wake of escalating tension between the two countries.

Mulayam statement on the concluding day of the party’s national convention in Lucknow was aimed at possible communal polarisation with Muslims becoming the target in the India-Pakistan skirmishes.

“Pakistan aur aapki fauj ke beech golibaari ka koi asar na padney paye hamarey bhaichare par (The firing between Pakistan and our Army should not affect the brotherhood between us),” Mulayam said.

There are reports that some forces will try to take political advantage of the situation. Thay take advantage of such situation, but you remain alert), Mulayam said without naming BJP.

He also warned Pakistan saying it would never be able to win any war with India. “Whatever firing is done by Pakistan, even if it goes on dangerous path, it will not be able to face as our Army is excellent,” Mulayam said.

Mulayam also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to act. “Bahut lambey chaudey bhashan diye — har naujawan ko rozgar, naukri; seema par China ya Pakistan ka kabza hatayengey. Hatana toh door raha, muqabla karna mushkil ho raha hai. Ab jakar fauj ko aadesh diya hai (Long speeches were given — job and work for every youth, encroachment by China and Pakistan at border will be removed. Now, it has even become difficult to face them. After days, Army has been given ordered to retaliate),” he said.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in his speech lashed out at the BJP saying his party has to fight on two fronts — the hidden communal agenda of the saffron party and capitalist approach of the Narendra Modi government.

“On one side is the capitalist approach of Central government and on the other side is the BJP’s hidden communal agenda. It is the responsibility of the SP workers to fight against them,” Akhilesh said.

The Chief Minister also targeted Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat campaign, saying there no such thing as part of the BJP manifesto. “There was no such thing in their (BJP) manifesto like jhadu maarna, cleanliness and linking one particular river Ganga to religion,” he said and added that cleaning only Ganga will not serve the purpose as there are other rivers like Chambal, Yamuna which need to be cleaned, too.