Akhilesh seeks apology from Yogi for likening socialism with terrorism

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said likening of ‘Samajwadi vichardhaara’ (socialism) with terrorism by chief minister Yogi Adityanath was an insult to freedom struggle.

Addressing an event in Lucknow on Saturday, Yogi had said that neo-socialism was not what late Ram Manohar Lohia (socialist leader and SP icon) fought for as the present day socialism supported terrorism.

“As the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had no contribution to the freedom struggle, they are oblivious to the ideals and principles of socialism. The CM should apologise for his objectionable and unethical comment on socialism,” Yadav said.

He said the BJP was insulting democracy through its conduct.

Calling BJP an “anti-development party”, he said the Centre and the UP government were not carrying out works in public interest.

Earlier in the day, Yadav called on senior leader and party’s Rajya Sabha member Beni Prasad Verma to greet him on his 78th birthday.