Lucknow, Oct 11 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Sunday accused Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav of attempting to “mask corruption and dynasty politics” under the guise of paying tribute to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan.
Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav paid tribute to JP Narayan on his birth anniversary at the Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC).
Addressing reporters during his visit, the SP chief said: “…There’s nothing left in the museum now because the current government doesn’t respect any freedom fighter because those in the government want to sell everything. Maybe the museum did not get sold, but all the land near it has been sold.”
“This government wants profit; it wants to earn money from even ideology. Just imagine, even such a huge museum made in the memory of Bharat Ratna Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan is being sold. Today, all of us from the Samajwadi Party take a pledge to walk on the path shown by Jayaprakash Narayan and bring a change into the society,” he added.
Referring to Akhilesh Yadav’s visit as “drama”, Brajesh Pathak said, “Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan’s entire life was dedicated to establishing democratic values and fighting against corruption and dynastic politics.”
“Shortly, you will witness a drama by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav; he will tear down a wall to create an entrance and, under the guise of paying tribute to Jayaprakash Narayan, will attempt to mask his own corruption and dynastic politics. He will invoke the names of icons like Jayaprakash Narayan and (Ram Manohar) Lohia — whose lives were dedicated to simplicity and socialism — to conceal his own misdeeds,” he remarked in a self-made video.
Responding to Akhilesh Yadav’s “selling” remark, the UP Deputy CM “clarified” that the JPNIC was leased out to ensure its better operation.
“The ‘double-engine’ government respects all great figures — especially Jayaprakash Narayan, Lohia, and (Acharya) Narendra Deva — whose paths Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only cites in his speeches but also actively follows. But the Samajwadi Party chief should explain how the cost of the JPNIC project, initially estimated at Rs 17 crore, ballooned to Rs 850 crore during his government’s tenure. How did the costs rise? How were proposals to repeatedly hike the price passed? And yet, the project remained unfinished; you left it incomplete,” Pathak said.
He asserted that under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the ‘double-engine’ government has taken steps to operate the centre by leasing it out, thereby preserving and honouring Jayaprakash Narayan’s legacy.
“Furthermore, it is being claimed that the head of the government at the time entrusted the responsibility of running it (JPNIC) to his own family. Most importantly, beyond the amenities, there is a swimming pool; the people of the state understand very well which socialist political leader it was intended for,” Brajesh Pathak said in a veiled reference to Akhilesh Yadav.
The Deputy CM said that the Samajwadi Party and its chief must answer — whether money collected from the hard-earned taxes of the state’s people should be spent on such luxuries?
“They owe an explanation regarding this, in the name of the revered Jayaprakash Narayan. He struggled for democratic values throughout his life and never amassed personal wealth; in contrast, members of the Samajwadi Party are trying to hide their misdeeds using his name,” he said.
Paying tribute to JP Narayan, Pathak said: “The true tribute to him would be for us all to unite against corruption, misconduct, and dynastic politics, and to assist Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Chief Minister Yogi ji in taking the state forward.”
–IANS
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