The Bahujan Samaj Party president, Mayawati, has slammed BJP and Samajwadi Party leaders for their verbal duel in the context of International Yoga Day on June 21. She said the verbal attack against each other is aimed at spreading communal tension and vitiating the atmosphere. The BSP president has demanded stern action against them.
Stating that the war of words was a manifestation of ‘shadow boxing’ between the BJP and the SP, Ms. Mayawati said it was a deliberate ploy to divert people’s attention from the failings of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Samajwadi Party government in the State.
In statement on Wednesday, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister accused both the parties and the Central and State Governments of raking up issues which can lead to communal tension. “They are spewing venom against each other and not sparing even their religious leaders,” the BSP president said.
She questioned the inaction on the part of the two governments in taking action against such elements in order to save the country and Uttar Pradesh from being engulfed in the fires of communalism. Ms. Mayawati reminded the BJP and SP governments of the steps taken by the BSP regime in the State.
“People’s welfare takes a back seat” Ms. Mayawati said despite enjoying majority, the Central and State governments were only interested in giving benefits to a handful of people. They have not directed their energies towards welfare measures, she added. “ The SP government and the NDA government have done nothing worthwhile for the welfare of crores of the poor, farmers, Dalits, Backward Classes and minorities, and these sections are feeling disillusioned,” she said.
Recently, the BJP MP from Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath and the Urban Development Minister, Mohammad Azam Khan were been engaged in a war of words over yoga. The UP unit president of the BJP, Laxmikant Bajpai, made a controversial comment against the “ulemas” in Varanasi on Tuesday, only to backtrack later.
