Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Thursday came down heavily on the Samajwadi Party after one of its legislators stated that there is “no difference between the BJP and terrorists” following the government’s directive to display the names of the shops along the Kanwar yatra routes.
Defending the move, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, while speaking to the media said, “The Samajwadi Party leaders are constantly making rubbish statements on Kanwar Yatra. They are comparing Kanwar Yatra devotees with the terrorists. It is highly condemnable. Samajwadi Party wants to implement Sharia law and do appeasement politics in UP. We are determined to organise a systematic and safe Kanwar Yatra in UP. It is the right of every buyer to know from whom they are buying things. It is the duty of every seller to display their name.”
The remarks of the Deputy Chief Minister were in response to the Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra, who termed the identity-related regulations “inappropriate”.
“It is completely inappropriate to ask those who set up shop during the Kanwar Yatra about their caste and religion. There is no difference between the Bharatiya Janata Party and terrorists. People of the Bharatiya Janata Party also attack by asking about religion and caste, and terrorists also kill people by asking about their religion,” SP MLA Mehrotra said.
Last month, Chief Minister Adityanath met officials and public representatives during the meeting and issued several directives.
In light of the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure that kanwariyas do not face any inconvenience during their journey.
The Yatra is scheduled to get underway on July 10. In the Kanwar Yatra procession, Kanwariyas collect water from a river and carry it hundreds of kilometres to offer it to the shrines of Lord Shiva. Devotees across the country perform worship, fasting and pilgrimage dedicated to the Lord Shiva.