Row over Akhilesh remark on PM visit

The BJP on Monday hit out at Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav for allegedly speaking ill of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was in the city to inaugurate the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. The SP, however, claimed that Akhilesh’s remark was aimed at the BJP government in the state.

Asked about Modi’s visit to Varanasi, which is the PM’s parliamentary constituency, and the programmes scheduled there, Akhilesh told reporters in Saifai in Etawah district, “Bahot achchi baat hai. Ek mahina nahi, do mahina, teen mahina, wahin rahein. Achchi baat hai. Woh jagah rehne waali hai. Aakhri samay pe wahin raha jaata hai, Banaras mein (It is a good thing. He should stay there for two months, three months. It is a place worth staying at. People spend their last days there in Banaras).”

Read |Akhilesh: BJP taking credit for our work

Hitting out at Akhilesh, Union minister Pralhad Joshi said“such cruel and uncivilised comments show his mindset”.

BJP spokesperson and state minister Sidharth Nath Singh tweeted, “Those inspired by Indian culture don’t think ill of even their enemies…What do I say about Akhilesh ji because he is inspired by the Jinnah culture?”

“The BJP is twisting the statement… He was talking about the last days of the UP government… He was not talking about anyone in particular,” said SP spokesperson Rajendra Choudhary.