Venkaiah Naidu slams Akhilesh Yadav for "donkeys of Gujarat" comment

Akhilesh Yadav had during election rally speech in Rae Bareli, advised megastar Amitabh Bachchan not to endorse the donkeys of Gujarat.

New Delhi, Feb 20: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today chastised UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his "donkeys of Gujarat" comment, saying it shows his anxiety ahead of "defeat" in the assembly polls.

He also condemned the incident of molestation of a Kerala actress and urged the state government to take stringent action against those involved.

"The statement by Akhilesh Yadav is not only deplorable but shows his anxiety of the defeat in the elections," Naidu, who also holds the Information and Broadcasting portfolio, told reporters here.

"We can understand that they (Congress and SP) are giving such comments as they are disturbed and perturbed as March 8 (the last day of voting) is coming near, and their fate will be sealed with the ballot boxes," he said. Akhilesh, earlier in the day in Rae Bareli, advised megastar Amitabh Bachchan not to endorse the donkeys of Gujarat.

Without taking any name, he referred to an advertisement in which Bachchan, the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, is seen inviting tourists to visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary located in Little Rann of Kutch in the state.

"There's an advertisement on TV which shows donkeys. I appeal to the century's biggest star, please stop endorsing the donkeys of Gujarat," Akhilesh had said. Naidu alleged SP had ruled the state for five years but "did nothing" for the betterment of the state and its people, leaving the state "totally lawlessness".

"When they (Akhilesh) realised that the party could not win the election on its own, it joined hands with Congress at the last moment. Everybody knows that they had no self confidence," he said.

Stressing that Akhilesh government is answerable as to why Uttar Pradesh still remains in BIMARU states, he said "Why UP lagged behind? Akhilesh government has no solution for the state. If the UP government had done well, then why it formed the coalition."

Terming the Kerala actress molestation case as a very serious issue, he said, "It's condemnable. The perpetrators of the crime should be given exemplary punishment so that it act as deterrent for the others. I urge the state government to take stringent actions against the culprits".

PTI