NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday taunted his political rival Akhilesh Yadav, saying the Samajwadi Party chief was “drowning” party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav‘s legacy by boarding the Congress‘s “sinking ship”.On the 51st anniversary of Indira Gandhi-imposed national emergency, which was fiercely opposed by political parties across the ideological spectrum, including a young Mulayam Singh Yadav, Yogi said the present generation of the Samajwadi Party had joined hands with the very Congress it had fought in 1975.“During the period when people were suffering under the oppression of Indira Gandhi and were going to jail in support of democracy, many were crushed under that oppression on her orders. People like Lalu Prasad Yadav and the late Mulayam Singh Yadav suffered then. But what is their present generation doing today? They are seen practicing politics under the shadow of that same Congress,” Yogi said at an event. Subtly highlighting the Samajwadi Party’s rise at the Congress’s expense, CM Yogi said Mulayam Singh Yadav had always opposed a tie-up with the party.“Whenever the Samajwadi Party tried to form an alliance with Congress, the late Mulayam Singh opposed it. He used to say that anything may happen, but there should never be an alliance with Congress… No matter what happens, they are ready to board Congress’ sinking ship, even if it means drowning Mulayam Singh’s legacy as well,” the Uttar Pradesh CM, who will be facing election next year for his third term, said.Later, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister went on to attack both parties, claiming that when in power they had carried out full-frontal “attack” on the executive, the judiciary and the press, and had now forged an alliance to weaken democracy.“Today, the entire country is remembering that dark chapter of June 25, 1975, when, for its vested political ambitions, the Congress strangled democracy in this country,” he said.The chief minister alleged that then prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency to remain in power and avoid the consequences of a court order.“To atone for her political sin, she attempted to snatch away the rights of Dalits, deprived sections, backward classes, women and every adult voter of this country — rights that Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had ensured for every citizen without discrimination. This sin of the Congress was not merely an assault on India’s democracy; it was a direct attack on the dreams of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar,” he said.
