BJP using 'Hindutva' to divide society, grab power: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Saturday accused the BJP of employing its own version of 'Hindutva' to "divide" society and grab power, and asserted there is a need to save the "true Hindutva".

He also accused the BJP government of conducting "fake encounters", and said people will "encounter the BJP government in 2024" which "is necessary for saving the Constitution".

Yadav also claimed opposition alliance INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) will uproot the "divisive" BJP government in 2024 with the support of the PDA (Pichhade, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) in Uttar Pradesh.

"They (the BJP) have done a lot of fake encounters. Now people will encounter the BJP government in 2024," Yadav told PTI in an interview when he was asked how the INDIA bloc and the SP will counter the BJP challenge in the Lok Sabha polls.

About the future of opposition alliance in the state, Yadav said, "The SP is there. More parties that are willing to join the INDIA alliance are welcome. Our PDA (Pichhade, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) will defeat the BJP this time. The BJP has done nothing except dividing the society."

He also alleged the BJP "misused" the medium of communication and coined "new lies" everyday, and it is imperative they are stopped from coming to power so the Constitution made by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar is saved.

The BJP's 'Hindutva' is focussed on dividing society and there is a need to save the "true Hindutva" by true Hindus, he said. "We have to save people from fake Hindus who misused Hindutva for grabbing power."

"True Hindutva is to save the honour of women, eating Shabri's 'ber' (ending discrimination), hugging Kewat (referring to the boatman hugged by Lord Ram as mentioned in the epic Ramayana), spreading love and increasing tolerance," he said.

"Spreading the 'GangaJamuni Tehzeeb' (a syncretic fusion of Hindu and Muslim cultural elements) and Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam worldwide is what true Hindutva says. It is the responsibility of Hindustanis to spread true Hindutva," he said.

The BJP, he alleged, is spreading hatred in the entire country and disturbing social amity to achieve its political agenda. "The BJP's model is to spread hatred and divide society. The BJP is the enemy of peace and development."

"BJP-ruled Mainpur and Haryana are burning. There was a conspiracy to trigger riots in Bareilly. The BJP patronises rioters and punishes officers who work to maintain law and order," Yadav alleged.

He claimed people are "fed up" with the BJP government and will vote it out.

"The health system of Uttar Pradesh has collapsed. The stray cattle menace has made the life of farmers and common man miserable. Headlines of newspapers contradict the tall claims on law and order. Why will people vote for the BJP? We are there for people, raising their issues," he said.

Yadav said the BJP failed to deliver on the promises made to people, while price rise, unemployment and corruption are at peak.

"To divert attention of the people from core issues, the BJP is pushing the country towards riots. The BJP sees political gains by getting people to fight with each other," he added.