Mulayam, Akhilesh share stage at SP rally in Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 23: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday appeared on the same platform as party president Akhilesh Yadav during a rally here, in an apparent setback to brother Shivpal Yadav who has floated his own outfit.

After forming the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, Shivpal Yadav had claimed that he has the blessings of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Attending the concluding event of a cycle rally at Jantar Mantar here, the SP patriarch told party workers to make sure that the Samajwadi Party forms government in Uttar Pradesh and have a share in Delhi politics.

He also urged the party workers not to indulge in corruption and asserted that the country, farmers and youth will be empowered only when the SP gets stronger.

"There are over two crore unemployed people in the country. I asked the prime minister what happened to providing jobs and Rs 15 lakh to everybody. I told him that he cheated the people and formed government based on lies. There is no difference between what Samajwadi Party promises and actions," Mulayam Singh Yadav said.

"I will also tell Akhilesh Yadav to involve women in various committees and have them at various party levels starting from the block," he said.

Demanding a caste census in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said, "Social justice in the state is possible only when there is a caste census."

He alleged that hospitals in the state treat patients based on their cast and, the police take action after determining the caste of the complainants. Akhilesh Yadav wondered whether demonetization has helped in checking corruption and flow of back money.

He also alleged that 50,000 farmers have committed suicide till now and lakhs of factories have been closed down.

"There are no opportunities of employment. Sugarcane farmers are an unhappy lot as their dues are still pending and the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) says that excess production of sugarcane causes diabetes. The chief minister urges people to chant 'hanuman chalisa' to get rid of monkeys. But 2019 will determine who flees and who stays," he said.

On the row over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, Akhilesh Yadav demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe and said that without it the truth would not come out.

PTI