BJP's lamp is flickering, will go off soon: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday, 22 July, took a dig at the BJP over the Kanwar Yatra directives in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, saying the ruling party's lamp is flickering and it will go off soon.

He also attacked the Centre after it lifted the ban on government employees to participate in the activities of the RSS, and asserted that communal politics has been rejected by people of the country.

Talking to the media outside Parliament, the Kannauj MP said more such steps are likely to be taken in future by the Centre and BJP-ruled states.

Asked about the Supreme Court's interim stay on the directives by BJP-ruled UP and Uttarakhand asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of owners, Yadav welcomed the verdict and said people have already rejected communal politics.

"Communal politics has been rejected by people, and just as a lamp flickers before it goes off, they (BJP) are flickering before going out. That is why such decisions are being taken," he said.

"They will take more such steps. They have also lifted the ban that had been there for such a long time," he said, referring to the Centre's decision to allow government servants to participate in activities of the RSS.

"They are doing this to keep communal politics alive as it is nearing its end.

"It is a very sensitive thing. An officer on a sensitive post with their conduct inclined towards any political party or organisation...we are seeing it everyday in Uttar Pradesh where government officials are working for a political party," he said.

"Days of communal politics will be over very soon, people have realised," he said.

Yadav also said that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is as much responsible for the decision on the Kanwar Yatra.

"The 'double engine' is together forcing traders to write names outside shops," he said.

On the ongoing controversy around the NEET-UG, the SP chief said, "Those who don't want to see (the 'irregularities') are free to do so. But the youth, their family members, everyone can see... How is it possible that so many students with high scores passed the exam from one place, or from one centre?"

"It puts a question mark on the credibility of the government, and the institution. This government has a record of paper leaks," he said.