Responsible People Should Protect Others From Fear: Akhilesh on Yogi's 'Batenge-Katenge' Remark

Lucknow: Coming down heavily on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Monday, launched a pincer attack on the former for his remarks in the wake of the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh.

In a post on X in Hindi, Yadav wrote, "The job of responsible people is to protect from fear, not to spread fear. If these are someone's personal views then they are wrong and if they are those of his party then they are even more wrong. In this atmosphere of fear created by BJP rule, has the double engine hidden itself somewhere? Disgraceful statement!"

Yogi's Bold Statement

Speaking at a programme in Agra earlier in the day, Adityanath reiterated the need for "unity" and "avoid the mistakes" that happened in Bangladesh.

"Aap dekh rahe hain Bangladesh mein kya ho raha hai? Wo galtiyan yahan nahi honi chahiye. Batenge to katenge! Ek rahenge to nek rahenge, surakshit rahenge aur samriddhi ki parakashtha jo pahuchenge. (Are you seeing what is happening in Bangladesh? Those mistakes should not take place here. If divided, we will be cut. If divided, we will be cut. If we remain united, we will be good, and secure and reach the pinnacle of prosperity)," Adityanath said.

He Wants to Become PM: Akhilesh

Yadav said Yogi wanted to become the prime minister but should not be already interfering in foreign affairs decisions that are taken by New Delhi.

During an interaction with media persons here on Janmashtami, when asked about the chief minister's remarks on strife-torn Bangladesh, Yadav said, "He (Adityanath) wants to become the prime minister but at least he should not play the role of prime minister. This is the job of the prime minister, the government of India to decide the relations India wants with which country of the world.

"This is not the first time that the chief minister has done something like this. He has done it in the past too. I hope 'Delhi-wale' will make him understand that he should not interfere in the decisions that are taken by Delhi," the former UP chief minister said.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) president said the wheel of politics has reached a point today where every party is talking about caste census.

"I remember that in Lok Sabha, leaders of Samajwadi Party from South India, Lalu Prasad Yadav ji, Sharad Yadav ji and many leaders from south India have been demanding caste census. And today the situation has become such that every party wants to do caste census," he said.

The opposition INDIA bloc leader meanwhile also took a potshot at the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) over the issues of the old pension scheme and caste census, predicting that the central government will soon make a U-turn on both subjects.

"I am not saying this for the first time. A year ago, I had said the Bharatiya Janata Party would also accept and come forward for caste census.

Earlier also, a caste census was done but its data was not shared. Now we hope that caste census will also be done and its answer will also be brought forward," he said.

On the upcoming byelections in the state, the SP chief exuded confidence in people's support for his party.

"Jab janta hai sang, to kya karega Sangh (RSS), wo Sangh jo chhupke ran-neeti bana raha hai (What will the RSS, which is silently preparing a strategy, do when the public is with us)," Yadav quipped.

(with PTI inputs)