'You Are A BJP Agent': Akhilesh Yadav Unleashes Verbal Storm On Being Called 'Tonti Chor' — WATCH

When the former chief minister inquired about his identity, the journalist introduced himself as Noor Qazi.

Akhilesh Yadav, the president of the Samajwadi Party, lashed out at a journalist who asked him about being labelled a "Tonti Chor" (tap thief) by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2018, news agency ANI reported. A journalist questioned Yadav, who is on a political tour to Ajaygarh in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, about Yogi's statement on Thursday. "You are not a journalist," retorted the Samajwadi Party leader in response, adding: "You are a BJP agent; what is your name? Take a photo of this journalist."

When the former chief minister inquired about his identity, the journalist introduced himself as Noor Qazi. The SP leader responded by saying: "You are a Muslim. Do Muslims have such a language? This is wrong. I don't know whether you are a journalist or not...When I vacated the CM residence, the BJP had got it washed with Gangajal." 

The incident began in May 2018, when the Supreme Court ordered Yadav to quit his state government-allotted house, and the BJP has been mocking him with the label 'Tonti Chor' ever since. It was said that once the SP chief departed the property in June of that year, facilities such as taps were removed. Yadav has refuted the claim and has accused government personnel of taking valuable goods from the property.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party has claimed that a criminal impersonating a journalist attended party chief's news conference in Madhya Pradesh's Panna assembly constituency. In a Hindi-language post on X (previously Twitter), the party asked that the Madhya Pradesh Police investigate the "criminal."

"A criminal suspect disguised as a journalist arrived at the press conference of SP President Akhilesh Yadav at the Panna Assembly meeting in Ajaygarh, Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Police should investigate and tell where this criminal came from in the press conference?" Samajwadi Party posted on X. 

In Madhya Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav has been aggressively campaigning for his party's candidates. Madhya Pradesh will hold elections for its 230 assembly seats on November 17. The vote will be counted on December 3rd, along with four other states.