New Delhi [India], January 17 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal on Friday took a dig at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav over his Maha Kumbh remarks, saying that Yadav was searching for his ground in politics since has been "rejected".
Khandelwal further said that Akhilesh Yadav wanted to remain in the headlines and thus, he was making such statements, which have no basis. The government doesn't need a certificate from Yadav, he added.
"Akhilesh Yadav is also searching for his ground in politics since has been rejected. This is the reason he is making such statements to stay in the headlines. His statement has no basis. The world is seeing how popular the Maha Kumbh is among the people. People are visiting the Maha Kumbh not only from the country but also from abroad. The government does not need Akhilesh Yadav's certificate," Khandelwal told ANI.
His reaction comes after former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yadav claimed that the numbers being given by the state government regarding Maha Kumbh were "fake". He said that the trains were going empty.
"All the figures of the government are fake. Some trains are going empty. We heard that the train going from Gorakhpur was empty. All the figures of BJP are fake," Yadav said in a presser earlier.
Meanwhile, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak slammed Yadav, stressing that the former chief minister should rise above factionalism and welcome people coming to Prayagraj. He further alleged that Ayodhya city was not developed by the previous government headed by Akhilesh Yadav.
UP Dy CM said, "Akhilesh Yadav has always spoken against Sanatan, look at the past... His party workers ordered the firing of Ram bhakts in Ayodhya... Crores of people irrespective of caste and creed take a dip in Sangam and this hurts him... If he has the courage, he should speak against other religions... He could not even provide basic infrastructure to Ayodhya city, but today world-class infrastructure is being built there...," Pathak told ANI.
"Whenever anyone has insulted Sanatan, he had to repent and Samajwadi Party will also have to repent... Akhilesh Yadav should rise above factionalism and welcome people coming to Prayagraj...," he said.