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‘Lungi-wearing’ remark: Akhilesh attacks Maurya, says BJP promoting hate

By Hindustan Times

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday hit back at Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya over his “lungi-wearing people” remark, saying with the state elections coming to a close, “the language of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will change and go down further”.

“As the elections get closer, the language of BJP will change and go down further. The BJP is dividing people and promoting hate politics,” the former chief minister said.

Maurya, at an event on Friday, had described those wearing “lungi and topi” as a challenge to the law and order situation for previous governments in Uttar Pradesh. Maurya had also said that after 2017, ever since the BJP government was formed in the state, such ‘criminals’ have not been seen. “If you ask the BJP about the income of traders and businessmen, they will be silent. If you question them on unemployment, they will look elsewhere. Inflation has increased due to steps like demonetisation and GST,” Yadav said.

The SP chief also alleged that the state government had failed to provide security to traders, alleging the dial-100 helpline started by his government has been rendered “useless” by the present regime.

BJP leader Abhishek Pandey ‘Rupak’ said: “What did the SP leader find wrong in Keshav ji’s statement? Isn’t it a fact that appeasement politics was the norm prior to BJP coming to power at the centre and in UP?”

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