Strange broom challenge going on in the country: Akhilesh

Lucknow, Nov 12: Taking a swipe at 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan' just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated him to be part of the campaign, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said a "strange broom challenge" has been started in the country.

"Don't understand what kind of debate is going on in the country and the world over. People have started taking bath with cold water and are talking about it. At the same time, a strange new challenge has been started in the country over the broom," Yadav said in apparent reference to the 'Ice Bucket' challenge and the government's Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.

"We have the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister participating in the campaign. You can understand that we have to use 'buddhi dav' (use our brain to counter them)," he said. Yadav said this while speaking to reporters at the 'Waqf Conference' organised by the Sunni Waqf Board here.

The UP Chief Minister was among the nine people Modi nominated in Varanasi to be part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Addressing the caretakers of various Waqf properties, Yadav assured them of finding a way to help the Waqf board fight and overcome its financial crisis soon. Speaking on the occasion, Urban Development and Waqf Minister Azam Khan said innocent Muslims felt "harassed" and that they were "unlucky" that they were being "marginalised" in their own country.

In apparent dig at the Narendra Modi government, Khan said, "This country should be in the hands of those whose goodwill and intentions have been proved." Khan said a tribunal is being constituted to resolve the disputes related to Waqf properties. He appreciated the suggestion made in the meeting regarding Wakf board setting up a separate board of education for schools on the lines of CBSE.

PTI