<p>Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/akhilesh-yadav">Akhilesh Yadav</a> on Friday slammed BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla over his "extremely objectionable language" for an <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aap">AAP</a> lawmaker during a TV debate.</p>.<p>Poonawalla, in a heated discussion on a news channel on Wednesday, made a derisive riff on Aam Aadmi Party MLA Rituraj Jha's surname.</p>.<p>His comment, seen by many rival politicians as a new low in TV debates, came after Jha took a dig at Poonawalla's surname.</p>.<p>The former UP chief minister said Poonawallah's remark had hurt the people inhabiting a large swathe of northern India.</p>.Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | AI-generated spoofs on social media and blitzkrieg ground campaigning make-up AAP's hybrid poll plan.<p>"It is not only unfortunate but also highly condemnable that a BJP national spokesperson used extremely objectionable language to distort the surname of a Delhi Aam Aadmi Party MLA on a national news channel," Yadav said in a <a href="https://x.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1880098886112727050">post in Hindi</a> on X.</p>.<p>"This statement reflects the BJP's narrow-minded attitude towards people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Purvanchal, which has always been negative. This is not a matter that can be resolved with an apology. Those from Purvanchal who were insulted by this 'verbal arrow' will never forget it. UP-Bihar say today, we don't need BJP!" he added.</p>.<p>BJP ally Janata Dal (United) also called for disciplinary action against Poonawalla.</p>.<p>"Poonawalla has made a mistake. His comments have caused deep displeasure among people from Purvanchal. The JD(U) seeks action from the BJP's leadership against Poonawalla for his comments," JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said in a statement.</p>.<p>In Delhi, Purvanchal is loosely referred to as eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.</p>.<p>People from the region living in the national capital have over the years become influential electorally.</p>.<p>Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in Delhi on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.</p>
<p>Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/akhilesh-yadav">Akhilesh Yadav</a> on Friday slammed BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla over his "extremely objectionable language" for an <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aap">AAP</a> lawmaker during a TV debate.</p>.<p>Poonawalla, in a heated discussion on a news channel on Wednesday, made a derisive riff on Aam Aadmi Party MLA Rituraj Jha's surname.</p>.<p>His comment, seen by many rival politicians as a new low in TV debates, came after Jha took a dig at Poonawalla's surname.</p>.<p>The former UP chief minister said Poonawallah's remark had hurt the people inhabiting a large swathe of northern India.</p>.Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | AI-generated spoofs on social media and blitzkrieg ground campaigning make-up AAP's hybrid poll plan.<p>"It is not only unfortunate but also highly condemnable that a BJP national spokesperson used extremely objectionable language to distort the surname of a Delhi Aam Aadmi Party MLA on a national news channel," Yadav said in a <a href="https://x.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1880098886112727050">post in Hindi</a> on X.</p>.<p>"This statement reflects the BJP's narrow-minded attitude towards people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Purvanchal, which has always been negative. This is not a matter that can be resolved with an apology. Those from Purvanchal who were insulted by this 'verbal arrow' will never forget it. UP-Bihar say today, we don't need BJP!" he added.</p>.<p>BJP ally Janata Dal (United) also called for disciplinary action against Poonawalla.</p>.<p>"Poonawalla has made a mistake. His comments have caused deep displeasure among people from Purvanchal. The JD(U) seeks action from the BJP's leadership against Poonawalla for his comments," JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said in a statement.</p>.<p>In Delhi, Purvanchal is loosely referred to as eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.</p>.<p>People from the region living in the national capital have over the years become influential electorally.</p>.<p>Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in Delhi on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.</p>