SP-BSP tie-up to fulfil dreams of Lohia, Ambedkar: Akhilesh

Lucknow, Aug 15: With an SP-BSP tie-up on the cards for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today invoked Ram Manohar Lohia and Bhim Rao Ambedkar the icons of the two parties respectively and talked about "fighting unitedly" to fulfil their dreams.

"Lohia and Ambedkar had advocated a united fight for justice and unity for strengthening the country's future.

We have got a chance to fulfil this dream," he told SP workers after hoisting the national flag at the party headquarters here.

"The future of the country can be strengthened with economic and social equality and unity. This was also the dream of Lohia and Ambedkar. In 1956, both had written to each other and decided to work unitedly. However, in 1956, Ambedkar died...but now we have got a chance to fulfil their dream," Yadav said.

In an apparent attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said opposition parties were an important part of a democracy, but it was unfortunate that they were being described as "daldal" (swamp) by the ruling party leader. Addressing a "Kisan Kalyan" rally at Shahjahanpur last month, Modi had said, "There is not just one 'dal' (political party) but 'dal' over 'dal', resulting in 'daldal' (swamp), which will only help the lotus bloom." Lotus is the election symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"After Independence, crores of people toiled hard for the country's development, but it is being said that nothing was done in the last 71 years, demeaning their contribution.

"All the pillars of democracy are under attack in the present regime. While the officers are becoming biased, the judges are talking about the danger to democracy and the condition of the media is in front of us," Yadav said.

He pointed out that in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, around two crore young people will vote for the first time.

"Instead of dealing with unemployment and other crucial issues, the government is adding fuel to the fire of hatred so that the real issues get buried.

"Development is there in the DNA of the country, but they (BJP) are playing with it as well. There can be different ideologies in a democracy, but those with diverse views are being labelled as traitors," the SP chief said.

Through statistics, it was being shown that the country was progressing, Yadav said, adding, "But if you want to know the reality, talk to the farmers, see the pain of the labourers and ask the poor people what are the changes that the economy has witnessed."

PTI