Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, on Monday, said his party’s Pichhade, Dalit, Alpsankhyak included half of India’s population (women), the tribals as well as the forward section of society.
Akhilesh Yadav had coined the term ‘PDA’ saying that it was the name of the unity born out of shared consciousness and feeling against exploitation and oppression of those who are pichhade (backward), Dalit and alpsankhyak (minority).
“Be it ‘agde’ or ‘adivasi’ or ‘aadhi abadi’, everyone is included in the PDA for whom our party is battling,” Yadav, who reached Lucknow with his PDA Yatra, told reporters.
He said the rally, which reached Lucknow on Monday, had already covered more than 5,000 kilometres across the state.
The yatra will conclude in Etawah’s Saifai on November 22.
Akhilesh Yadav said the yatra was being taken out to raise awareness about the threat to social justice and rights and honour of the people, and to press for a caste census.
Replying to a question on PDA, Yadav said, “PDA is the party’s strategy while INDIA is the opposition’s alliance. PDA is important and we are working to associate people with it. It is also for saving the country from the forces conspiring to divide it.”
Hitting out at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh Yadav said, “The ones who built the stadium are forward, and the ones taking pictures in it are backward. The ones who made the expressway are forward.”
He was referring to the stadium where India scored a 100-run win against England in the 29th match of the ODI World Cup 2023 in Lucknow on Sunday. Leaders cutting across political lines hailed Team India’s victory. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also in the stadium. The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow was built during the Samajwadi Party regime when Akhilesh Yadav was the chief minister.
“The path to the nation’s throne (Delhi) goes through Uttar Pradesh,” the SP president said, in an obvious reference to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Yadav also criticised the state of health infrastructure in UP under the Yogi Adityanath government.
”Dengue is spreading fast and in some villages 20 deaths have been reported. But the state government is sleeping. Son of a former MP died in SGPGIMS here for lack of treatment,” he said, adding that the government was not spending enough money on health.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party only indulges in conspiracies and spreads rumours through you (media). It has nothing new to show,” Yadav said before starting his yatra.
The yatra started from Purvanchal Expressway and covered a distance of about 20 kilometres on cycle, which is also the SP election symbol, to culminate at Janeshwar Mishra Park in Gomti Nagar here. The yatra took over three and a half hours to reach the park. Its route was chosen to highlight the works done during the SP government headed by Akhilesh Yadav. It passed through Amul plant, cancer hospital, HCL, Palassio Mall, Ekana Stadium, the police headquarters, and Janeshwar Mishra Park, all constructed under the SP government.
On the Andhra Pradesh train accident, Yadav said such events exposed the government’s claims of having the technology to alert about potential risks. “What kind of ‘kavach’ is this?” he asked.
Yadav said the ‘Sabka, Saath, Sabka Vikas’ slogan of the BJP was ‘farzi’ (fake).
Asked about the Dalit sammelan being organised by the BJP in the state, Yadav said, “What can you expect from those who meet Dailts only after they have been given a bath with a soap.”
Yadav said that SP would move forward with all parties which were with it and people would wipe out the BJP in the 2024 polls. He also alleged that the BJP wanted to “finish” the Constitution made by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, a Dalit icon.
