Akhilesh Yadav confirms meet between Mulayam Yadav & Mohan Bhagwat; reveals conversation

A war of words has erupted on Tuesday between UP Congress and Samajwadi party over a 'meeting' between SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Breaking his silence on the meet, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed Congress for misconstruing the discussion. He speculated that his father may have told Bhagwat that Yogi Adityanath will lose the upcoming UP elections. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

Akhilesh Yadav: 'Babaji is going from UP'

Speaking to Republic TV while touring Mainpuri, he said, "Congress is seeing things in a bizarre way. What do they know about the talks at the sofa? Netaji (Mulayam) may have said 'Babaji is going from UP' (to Bhagwat)". SP also shared a photo of NCP leaders - Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule interacting with Yadav at the same event. In response, UP Congress touted the fact the SP had accepted meeting RSS chief Bhagwat, ahead of polls.

Mulayam Singh Yadav meets Mohan Bhagwat

On Monday, a photo was shared by Union MoS Arjun Ram Meghwal showing RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and ex-CM Mulayam Singh Yadav interacting at a Delhi event. After this photo went viral, Congress' UP unit cast aspersions on the Akhilesh Yadav-led party's relationship with RSS. As per reports, they met during a function at Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's official residence in New Delhi.

The 1990 Ayodhya firing

BJP has often lashed out at Mulayam Singh Yadav for firing at unarmed Ram devotees who had come to take 'darshan' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on 1990. As per reports, in October 1990, thousands of followers proceeded to Ayodhya to pay respects to Lord Ram at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site. Vowing to stop them, Mulayam Singh Yadav had declared, "Let them try and enter Ayodhya. We will teach them the meaning of law. No masjid will be broken."

On October 30, a clash erupted between the karsevaks and the police as they tried to enter the Babri Masjid but the police had barricaded about 1.5 km-long pathway to the Babri Masjid. By noon, police received orders from then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to open fire at the karsevaks which led to stampede and killing of atleast 28 karsevaks, as per reports. Later, when karsevaks tried again to enter Babri Masjid - where wanted a Ram temple, UP police fired again. While official records showed 17 deaths but BJP pegged it 56.