Uttar Pradesh CM Mulayam Singh Yadav’s public sympathy for BJP leader Lalji Tandon following the sari stampede has once again spurred accusations of the Samajwadi Party leader’s growing cosiness with the party he has always called ‘‘communal’’.Yadav’s clean chit to Tandon and his hurry to turn the criminal act into a tragedy had put the Opposition on the defensive before it quickly recovered to launch a full-throttle attack on the BJP.He would say nothing on taking action against BJP members for violating Section 144, which prohibited the assembly of more than five people in the area. ‘‘This is not the time to trade allegations and counter-allegations. A grave tragedy has occured and we are all sad. His (Tandon) intentions were good, he wanted to do something noble on his birthday but unfortunately this has happened,’’ he said a day after the incident.Two days later, on April 15, Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said: ‘‘We are guiding the SP government to take necessary steps in this direction (of taking action against BJP leaders). There were doubts over the direction since the CM has tried to downplay the tragedy.’’ This is not the first time Mulayam has come under fire over his relations with the BJP, a party he has condemned and denounced over the last two decades for its ‘‘communal and fascist character’’.• ON UP SPEAKER: Yadav has refused to comment over the last eight months on allowing the BJP’s Kesari Nath Tripathi to continue as Speaker in the Assembly. It has given rise to allegations that his government survives because of Tripathi, for if the latter invoked the rules of disqualification of 42 BSP members, who split from the party to join Mulayam, the government would be reduced to a minority.• THE QUID PRO QUO, ACCORDING TO CRITICS: Mulayam split the BSP rather than the BJP, despite the fact almost two dozen rebel BJP MLAs had been spoiling for a fight with their leaders for a year.• ON ADVANI’S ACQUITTAL IN BABRI CASE: ‘‘I am a firm believer in the judiciary and the justice system and I am of the view the court verdict on Ayodhya should be acceptable to all. I accept the court’s decision and have nothing more to say.’’ (September 21, 2003, Ayodhya)• ON BABRI MASJID: Yadav remained tight-lipped for almost two months after the controversial affidavits were submitted by his government on October 17, 2003, and November 18, 2003, on a crucial petition filed in the Babri case. The affidavits not only refused to take an opinion on whether a political party was involved in the criminal conspiracy to destroy the Babri mosque, it also said the accusation that the ‘‘CBI was under any pressure is wrong’’. This was in response to the dropping of conspiracy charges against Advani and seven others in the Babri case. ‘‘They (BJP and Sangh Parivar) are waiting for me to make one move which will allow them to cash in on the situation. They want me to pave the way for a chargesheet so that they can resign (accused Cabinet Ministers) and whip up communal passions,” he explained in a letter to the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board. (December 7, 2003, Lucknow)• ON A JOINT CANDIDATE AGAINST PM: Yadav has remained non-plussed for dividing the ‘secular’ vote by rushing in to nominate his candidate in Lucknow and ignored Laloo Yadav’s accusation he was a BJP agent. ‘‘We are not opposed to fielding a joint Opposition candidate, but so far there is no such proposal from any quarter nor has there been any discussion in this regard.’’ (March 15, 2004, Lucknow)
