BJP building airports only to sell them off: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the BJP is laying the foundation stone of Noida International airport while selling other existing airports in the country.

Addressing a rally organised by Janwadi Party (Socialist), an SP ally, near Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, Akhilesh said "How can the BJP be believed when on one hand it is making new airports, and on the other hand selling the existing ones?"

The Lucknow airport was given on lease to a private company earlier.

The SP chief’s comments came on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Jewar International Airport in Greater Noida.

"One government airport was sold and the other is being made. I fail to understand the reason. “BJP said the poor with slippers will travel in aircraft, the poor should let the BJP know how many of them have travelled in planes,” he said.

He said the BJP government is engaged in disposing off airports and asked who is profiting from these airports, when even the Delhi Airport is suffering losses.

Read | BJP's denial of airport in Firozabad cost it a share in glory: Akhilesh Yadav

He asked what will happen to the “rights and honour” of the people in a country where public property is sold off.

“In a country where things are sold off, government institutions are sold off, what will happen to the rights and honour for which Ambedkar gave us the Constitution, what will happen to the future generations? Who will give them jobs, livelihood and reservation?" said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister at the ‘Janvadi Jankranti Maharally'.

During his address, he asked the Chauhan community to extend its support to him, saying if it comes along the BJP will suffer a “historic defeat” in the upcoming elections.

JSP is considered to have an influence over voters of Nonia community, concentrated largely in 15 districts of Purvanchal, including Ghazipur, Chandauli, Azamgarh, Mau and Ballia region.

There are around 1.26 per cent Nonia voters in the state.

JSP president Sanjay Singh Chauhan had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on an SP ticket against BJP's Mahendra Nath Pandey and had lost by a margin of around 14,000 votes.

Chauhan had bagged more than 4 lakh 96 thousand votes in the Lok Sabha Elections.

Akhilesh also criticised the BJP-ruled UP government for publishing “big advertisements” but failing to address people’s issues.

Read | PM called for Asia's biggest airport in UP: Scindia

He attacked the government over its pre-poll promise of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, asking whether it has been done. He also asked it whether it was able to provide fertilisers to the farmers and procure their paddy.

He raised the issue of rising prices of fuel across the country to accuse the BJP of prioritising “big industrialists” over the common man.

"BJP's wrong policies are responsible for inflation and unemployment,” he said.

“The future of youth is bleak with no jobs. Their education prospects are ruined because of the BJP’s failure to give them good education. Even if somehow they complete their studies, there cannot find jobs," he added.

He gave his assurance to the people that if the SP comes to power, it will give people “ummeed se zyada rahat” (relief more than the expectations).

He said the SP has brought together various other parties to ensure people’s “rights” are protected.

Besides JSP, SP has brought along SBSP's Om Prakash Rajbhar, Mahan dal, and Krishan Patel of Apna Dal with it.

Criticising the UP Chief Minister, Akhilesh said Yogi Adityanath has not been able to score any big achievements in his tenure except changing names and expropriating previous government’s works.

"Ever since the ‘Baba CM’ has come, UP has been ruined. Promises made by him are yet to be fulfilled. Has any big work been done?” he asked the people.

“The only work of this government is to change names, change colours. And they are changing names even now when their government is on its way out. People have decided to change those who are changing names and the new CM will also have a new name," he claimed.

Addressing the farmers’ crisis, Akhilesh promised farmers “mandis” to sell their produce if it comes to power.

He said though the Center has repealed the three contentious farm laws, it is yet to enact law on Minimum support Price, adding the SP will keep on “fighting for the poor” till it comes about.

He repeated the allegation that the government repealed the laws because farmers had banned its leaders’ entry in their villages voting with their feet.

Accusing the BJP of trying to kill the “Ganga-Jamuni” (composite) culture, he said the party had nothing but “hatred” to offer.

“No other government had given so many problems to people as has the BJP government,” he said.

The leader also raised the demand for a caste-based census in his address.

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