Ahead of the crucial Assembly elections next year, the Samajwadi Party assured the Muslim community not to be scared as the outfit was with them.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav sought to dispel the perception among Muslims that the ruling party had lost its electoral vigour due to recent intra-family feud.
Amid the widely anticipated Bihar-like grand alliance in UP ahead of the 2017 polls, Mulayam Singh shared dais with Janata parivar leaders at an event marking the party's silver jubilee in lucknow on Saturday.
``I have invited all leaders on SP's Foundation Day to brainstorm on the problems prevailing in the country. We have to think about the entire nation and the problems faced by the masses,’’ said the SP chief.
``Muslims are the most discriminated community in India and face injustice at every sphere which is beyond imagination. I have learnt about certain incidents happening in the state and I will ask Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to address these,’’ said Mulayam Singh while addressing the silver jubilee foundation function at Janeshwar Mishra park on Saturday.
``In 2012 Assembly polls, the SP got the overwhelming support of every sections of the society. But in 2017, if the party fails to get adequate support from different societal sections then it would become difficult for us to achieve majority.’’
Indicating that the SP was in the process of stitching a grand alliance in UP, Mulayam Singh said, ``There was a time when we were together. In due course, leaders parted company for different reasons. Time has come for us to join hands once again and find solution to peoples' woes as they are disillusioned with the political system which has failed to deliver as per aspirations. Socialists should come together and work hard for mitigating the grievances of the masses.’’
The SP jamboree was marked by the presence of a galaxy of leaders of secular parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal's lalu Yadav, former Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, Rashtriya lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, former PM and Janada Dal (Secular) president HD Deve Gowda and Indian National lok Dal's Abhay Chautala and Santosh Bharti of Samajwadi Janata Party. Former BJP leader and veteran lawyer Ram Jethalamani, who is presently a Rajya Sabha MP from RlD was also present at the function.
"Be it UP, Bihar, Haryana or Rajasthan, we had fought together to build and sustain the Socialist movement. lohia laid the foundation of the struggle but it was not for capturing power. It was for fighting the inequality in society like caste, creed , region, religion and language,’’ said Mulayam.
Praising brother Shivpal Yadav's contribution in building the Socialist movement in UP, the SP chief said,``Shivpal was once sentenced for six months and kept in a solitary confinement in jail. The term was later reduced to 15 days but he had a difficult time there.’’
``I did not establish the SP as a tool to mint money through unscrupulous means and felicitating them to occupy public property and government land,’’ said Mualayam targeting some elements for sullying the party's image with their illegal acts.
The SP chief heaped lavish praise on his son saying, `` The Akhilesh Yadav government has done good work in the last five years but a lot more needs to be done. I urge the workers to observe the Foundation Day as 'Sankalp Diwas, aiming to eradicate poverty."