Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today hit back at critics and defended his government's Saifai Mahotsav saying the budget for the festival was around Rs six to seven crores but never Rs 300 crores as alleged by a section of the media.
Specially critical of a section of the media for running stories against the Mahotsav, the Chief Minister claimed that the daily, which carried that the budget of the festival was Rs 300 crores, had called for an apology.
"It's being said purposely that the budget for Saifai Mahotsav was Rs 300 crores... Those who are making such a claim should apologise or else give the details of the expenditure made for the festival," Akhilesh said at a press conference here.
"The person who has written such a story should be punished... We have a mela committee which keeps the expenditure details... And we should not be forced to launch a struggle," he warned.
Not naming the newspaper, the chief minister hinted that because its owner, a party MP, was denied a Rajya Sabha ticket such a story was carried.
"It's unfortunate that the artistes who have no knowledge about Muzaffarnagar were asked questions about it... You ask me... I am the Chief Minister and ready to answer them," he said.
Talking about the participation of film stars in the Mahotsav, Akhilesh said, "They have come earlier too when SP was not in the power... It's not right to humiliate them (the artists) and ask how did they take part in the programme."
He lamented that though Bollywood superstar Salman Khan visited a hospital and offered help to children there it was not covered by the media.
Akhilesh also said that the Mahotsav, organised everyyear by its organising committee, locals and youths, is aimed to encourage the state's culture.
"It gives a platform to young artists, small traders and farmers and some Rs 6 or 7 crores are spent every year... And this time it was same," he claimed.
The chief minister also defended his government's grant of Rs one crore to Dedh Ishqiya and Bullet Raja saying that it was part of the state's programme to promote tourism.
"It's also the policy of the government to encourage tourism," he said.
Defending foreign tour of 17 legislators including eight ministers, Akhilesh said it has been done in every government and the Centre's approval is a must for this.
Meanwhile, condemning Akhilesh for defending the expenditure and presence of Bollywood stars at the Saifai Mahotsav, opposition parties today said that tone and tenor of the CM for media was dangerous for democracy.
"The tone and tenor in which Akhilesh attacked the media is dangerous for the democracy," BJP state president lakshmi Kant Bajpai told PTI.
"The Saifai Mahotsav was such a contrast to the people dying at the riots relief camps in Muzaffarnagar due to cold... It brought out the difference in Samajwadi Party's saying and doing. The Mahotsav, which started from rural culture, folk, kushti and kabaddi remained centred at performances of the dancers.. And the CM's statement that people are interested in this was against the Indian culture," he alleged.
He said that BJP was not against organising the Mahotsav but at a time when people at Muzaffarnagar riots relief camps, spending money on such an event was not justified.
Congress leader and legislator Akhilesh Pratap Singh said it was unfortunate that the government, which was found nowhere when people at Muzaffarnagar camps were dying of cold, was present in full force at the Saifai Mahotsav.
"This has hurt the people... Had the government fulfilled its responsibilities, these questions would not have arisen," Singh said.