Blinded by love for votes of fundamentalists, Jihadis: BJP chides Akhilesh for Deepotsav remark

New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) The BJP on Sunday assailed Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on lighting diyas during the annual Ayodhya Deepotsav event, alleging the Samajwadi Party chief has become so blinded by his love for votes of "fundamentalists and Jihadis" that he has started speaking against his own community.

The ruling party also accused the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh of wanting to curb the prosperity of the Prajapati community, who make earthen lamps.

This came a day after Yadav raised questions on the Yogi Adityanath government's expenditure on lighting diyas and candles during Ayodhya's annual Deepotsav celebration and suggested that it should learn from the arrangements made worldwide to illuminate cities during Christmas.

Reacting sharply, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and the party's national spokesperson Sudhansu Trivedi said, "Akhilesh Yadav has become so blinded by the love of votes of fundamentalists and Jihadis that now he has started speaking against his own Yadav community and also wants to snatch away the prosperity of the Prajapati community." His remarks also reflect the opposition INDIA bloc's mindset and "hatred" for Indian culture, Hindu Dharma and the Prajapati community who make diyas, he charged.

"His remarks are inspired by 'INDI gathbandhan's (alliance)' mindset, which calls for eradication of Sanatan Dharma, or Rahul Gandhi, who says he has to fight against Hindu dharma's shakti (power)," Trivedi said.

Terming Yadav's remarks "condemnable", the BJP leader wondered, "What kind of influence is this of foreign mentality that they are feeling guilty about it (lighting of diyas during Diwali)? It is sad that such a Kaliyuga is visible today." He said that in ancient times, slogans like "Gau brahman palak, dharma dwaja sanrakshak" (protector of cows and brahmins, protector of Dharma's flag) used to be raised on the arrival of kings.

"For INDI gathbandhan leaders today, slogans should be raised as 'Mulla-Maulvi pratipalak, gushpaidhiya sanrakshak aur sanatan dharma vidhwansak, INDI gathbandhan wale pravesh kar rahe hain (Those from the INDIA bloc, the protectors of Mullah-Maulana and infiltrators as well destroyers of Sanatan Dharma are arriving)'," he added. PTI PK NSD NSD