Withdraw cases against CAA protestors, says SP chief Akhilesh
LUCKNOW : Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said his party would return to power in the state in a “historic change” in 2022 and would then withdraw all cases lodged against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) protestors.
He said his party was against CAA and NRC right from the start. The former chief minister expressed these views at a press conference he held at his party office here where Sumaiya Rana, daughter of famous Urdu poet Munawwar Rana, former BSP Lok Sabha candidate from Gonda Masood Alam Khan; former MLA and BSP chief coordinator Ramesh Gautam and over two dozen leaders and many of their supporters joined the SP. A poetess herself, Sumaiya Rana was one of the leaders of last year’s anti-CAANRC protest at Ghantaghar in Lucknow.
Talking about 2022 UP assembly polls and his plans of joining hands with smaller parties, Akhilesh said: “There will be a historic change in 2022. The Samajwadi Party will form the government. And we are making that road to return to power clear by shaking hands with smaller parties.”
He said a large number of people from other parties were joining the Samajwadi Party and many more would become SP members in days to come.
“This trend of leaders joining the SP is another sign of the SP’s return to power,” said Akhilesh.
BJP suppressing people’s voice
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party government, Akhilesh said that BJP can’t stand any voice of dissent. It was suppressing voice.
To suppress opposition’s and people’s voice, the BJP government was framing cases against them. “Even if you raise a voice against adulteration of milk, you may have a case filed against you,” he said.
Farmers’ issues
Terming the new farm laws a death warrant for farmers, Akhilesh said his party had consistently played an active role in farmers’ campaign. There was no political party cadre in the country against whom so many cases were filed by a government. However, SP will continue it support to farmers’ struggle, he said.
MSP should double farmers’ income
Akhilesh said he MSP for an agriculture produce should be fixed in a manner that it doubles the farmers’ income. “This is what the BJP government had promised that it would double the income of farmers by 2022. So, MSP should be fixed accordingly,” he demanded.