BJP slams Akhilesh's sister-in-law for anti-quota remarks

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Lucknow: BJP on Tuesday attacked ruling Samajwadi Party over statement of its candidate and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s sister-in-law Aparna Yadav for her reported remarks against “caste-based reservation” system. “Her statement shows the mentality of SP towards Scheduled Castes and Backwards. It’s unfortunate that SP is talking about withdrawing reservation system,” senior BJP leaders Uma Bharti and Bhupendra Yadav said here. “BJP demands that SP should take action against Aparna,” they said, adding, “Her statement given on advice of Akhilesh is condemnable.” Aparna, who is wife of Prateek Yadav, younger son of SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, is making her debut and contesting from Lucknow Cantt seat. She courted controversy after her statement appeared in a section of the local media saying “We are of a well-to-do family…Why should we take any caste-based reservation? I will not seek reservation for my daughter though she comes from a Yadav (Other Backward Caste) family”. Aparna is pitted against Congress turncoat Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who is contesting this time on a BJP ticket. After BJP’s reaction, Aparna clarified that “she never opposed reservation. What I really said is that there should be economic criteria for reservation and upper caste poor should also get its benefit”. “They (BJP) have done no work, they have no issues left with them so they are making it an issue,” she added.