SP's Akhilesh Yadav calls BJP's Mahatma Gandhi tributes 'a facade'

Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday, October 2, alleged that the BJP leaders were trying to make great leaders their own despite never having followed them or their principles. "BJP and its leaders have never walked on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi and have never spoken the truth. They believe in violence and still, they are celebrating Gandhi's birth anniversary today. They want to lay claim over great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Lohia among others, it is nothing but a facade," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow. 

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SP leader pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

He made this statement while responding to a question about Samajwadi Party's boycott of UP assembly's special session called by the Yogi Adityanath led-government to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Earlier, the SP supremo paid tribute to the Father of the Nation on his 150th birth anniversary by garlanding the statue of the great leader at Hazratganj in Lucknow. 

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'Compassion is also important'

Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comment on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Yadav said, "Today it is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The path of truth and non-violence shown by him is followed by people around the world, it is important for us to do the same. Compassion is also important." 

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The comment made by Amit Shah on the NRC:

Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking of the implementation of the NRC during his address at the NRC-Jagaran Abhiyan in Kolkata, had called out the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of changing her stand over infiltrators after coming to power.

The Union Home Minister had stated, "As far as NRC is concerned. Didi is against NRC. But we (BJP) will not let infiltrators stay in India, we will get them out. The same Mamata didi, who was in the Opposition and the infiltrators voted for the Communists (Left), wanted them out of the country. She did not let the Parliament function, she threw a shawl at the Speaker. Now they are your vote bank so you are saying don't force them out. We won't let refugees leave, we won't let infiltrators stay. This is for sure.

READ| Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary: Leaders Pay Tribute

(Inputs from ANI)