Akhilesh Yadav praises Sardar Patel, mentions Jinnah in same breath

Lucknow, Oct 31 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday spoke of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the same breath as leaders who fought for India's independence, prompting a criticism from the BJP.

Yadav lavished praise on Patel on his 146th birth anniversary but raised eyebrows at one point when he appeared to equate the four leaders, including Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

Addressing a public meeting in Hardoi, the SP leader said, "Sardar Patel understood the ground and he made decisions accordingly. Hence, he is also known as Iron Man.

"Sardar Patel, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute and became barristers. They helped (India) get freedom and never backed away from any struggle." Yadav also referred to the ban imposed on the RSS by Patel, the then home minister, following the assassination of Gandhi in 1948, saying only he could do it.

He said Patel fought for farmers and hence, is known as 'Sardar'. "The BJP is remembering the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, today. But if it walks on the path shown by Sardar Patel, then the three farm laws, which it has enacted, should be withdrawn. This will be a true tribute to Patel," he added.

"The BJP claims that it is walking on the path shown by Sardar Patel, but today farmers are the saddest," Yadav said.

Farmers' income has dipped, there is price rise and the way this government is functioning, every section of society is feeling insulted, he alleged.

On the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Yadav claimed that all sections of people in the state have made up their minds to elect an SP government in the 2022 elections. After the SP comes to power, Uttar Pradesh will get back on the path to growth and prosperity.

Taking a dig at the ruling BJP, he said that the party has only one thing to do -- renaming projects completed by the previous SP government.

"The BJP is inaugurating all projects undertaken by the Samajwadi Party. 'Baba Mukhyamantri' is an amazing chief minister who has not inaugurated any work done by his government," Yadav said, referring to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Reacting to the statement made by Akhilesh Yadav, UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh in a Hindi tweet said, "Why is Akhilesh Yadav praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel?" BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, in a video message, said "SP chief Akhilesh Yadav compared Iron Man (Sardar Patel) with Jinnah. Akhilesh Yadav must read history. Jinnah was involved in mass murder of Hindus, and also in the partition of the country. A day before the Sardar Patel anniversary, your father (Mulayam Singh Yadav) on October 30, 1990 had fired on Ram devotees in Ayodhya, and mother Saryu (river) became red." PTI NAV HDA