Lucknow: With Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections around the corner, a round of accusations and counter-accusations has become fluent in the state.
In one such instance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has picked up a statement made by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Pakistan. Post this, several in the state wonder has the former UP CM has scored a self-goal by raising the issue?
To gauge the mood of voters on the controversy, ABP News along with C-Voter conducted a survey. During the poll, 46 perc ent people said that yes Akhilesh has scored a self-goal, while 32 per cent have responded otherwise. 22 per cent respondents have said that they can't comment on the issue.
Did Akhilesh score a self-goal by raising the Pakistan issue?
Yes: 46%
No: 32%
Don't know: 22%
UP CM Yogi Adityanath himself has reacted sharply to Akhilesh Yadav's statement. "Those who do not think Pakistan is an enemy, Jinnah seems to be a friend, what to say about their education and vision," Adityanath said.
"He calls himself a socialist, but the truth is that 'tamanchavaad' is running in his vein," he said in a tweet.
In another tweet, Yogi termed the opposition as issueless and said, "There is a saying that Don't hold on, wear a quiver..." This is the case with the whole opposition! If you are in power, don't do anything, now everyone is wearing 'quivers' at the time of elections."
What did Akhilesh Yadav say?
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had said in an interview to a newspaper that India's real enemy is China and Pakistan is just a political enemy. However, BJP targets only Pakistan for vote bank politics.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had also sharply criticised Akhilesh's statement. He had said at a press conference on Monday, "SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said in an interview to a newspaper that he does not consider Pakistan as the real enemy of India. "BJP calls Pakistan our enemy for vote politics.
Patra had said, "I want to ask Akhilesh ji that the brothers and sisters of Kashmir who are killed by terrorists sent by Pakistan, are they not Indians? Whoever loves Jinnah, how can he deny Pakistan? Had entered with Jinnah's name and he reached Pakistan today."