SP's Akhilesh Yadav promises caste-based census in UP; laments about jailed Azam Khan

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday vowed to support the caste-based census in Uttar Pradesh while ensuring to provide cheap electricity to people and employment opportunities to youths in the state if voted to power. "If voted to power, the SP government will provide cheap electricity and give jobs to youths in large numbers," said Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav was in Kannauj to unveil the statue of former SP MLA Kaptan Singh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party chief accused the BJP-led Centre of constantly showing its back to the demand of caste-based census in the country, fearing that it would lead to the backward classes of people demanding their rights and due respect.  "The BJP government at the Centre does not want to conduct caste census as it knows that backwards will demand their right and due respect after it. This is the biggest demand of backwards and Dalits," Yadav said in a statement. Assuring caste census in the state if his party is voted to power in the 2022 Legislative Assembly polls, Yadav said, "We will ensure that backwards get their rights."

Yadav highlights UP's crime rate 

The Samajwadi party supremo further claimed that the crime rate in UP had escalated rapidly. "The Chief Minister lies on the matter of crime and does not have any information on the NCRB data," Yadav said adding that the highest number of crimes against women is committed in UP.  Yadav reiterated his claim that veteran SP leader Azam Khan has been kept in jail in false cases. "Azam Khan has been kept in jail in fake cases," Yadav said adding that maximum custodial deaths in the state have taken place during the present BJP rule.

SP chief terms UP governance as 'complete failure'

Akhilesh Yadav lamented that CM's home turf Gorakhpur has become an epicentre of crime. "The CM visits his home district Gorakhpur regularly but crime is rising there. Police beat up a Kanpur businessman to death who had visited the town. Even saints are not safe in UP. Over 40 sadhu and saints have been killed," Yadav said.

Terming the UP government as 'a complete failure', Akhilesh Yadav said, "If the demands of the common men are not heard, BJP MLAs and MPs have to face the people's opposition in their areas."  Yadav raised questions on the vaccination certificate being provided with PM Modi's picture to people following their vaccination and asked why the national flag was not present on the document instead. "Why do the vaccination certificated not carry the photograph of the national flag?"

On the COVID vaccination drive, Akhilesh Yadav asked, "Why do the vaccination certificates not carry the photograph of the national flag?" He said the government should withdraw three farm laws as it would help business houses take away farmers'' land. "The farmers will teach a lesson to the BJP in the coming assembly polls," he predicted.

(Inputs: PTI)

(Image: PTI)