LUCKNOW: In a strong retort to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Farq saaf hai' narrative, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the ruling BJP's use of non-political platforms for its political campaign.
Akhilesh Yadav's sharp attack came minutes after the Prime Minister’s pot-shots at the previous UP regime at the Balrampur public rally on Saturday. Interacting with media persons in Lucknow, Yadav hit back at PM Modi by using the BJP's catchphrase 'farq saaf hai', or 'the difference is clear'.
"The Samajwadi Party gave students laptops, the BJP rained lathis on youth. Farq saaf hai," Mr Yadav said.
ALSO READ: Modi sets tone for 2022 UP polls by assailing previous regimes with catchline 'Farq saaf hai'
"I am happy the government has not been able to deny there was work on the Saryu from 2012-2017," said Akhilesh evading a swipe about the BJP's 'double-engine government delivering projects on time'.
Laucnhing an attack on the ruling party, the SP chief said that the BJP was about to complete five years in power... but they have not even had time to look at their 'sankalp patra' (manifesto). “They are spending more on ads, banners, hoardings. They talk of employment and investment but they should come clear on how many MoUs have translated into something on the ground," he added.
The SP chief highlighted the use of government machinery to organise extravagant events and ply government buses to ferry crowds to and fro the venue during the inauguration of infrastructure projects.
"Has any political party used buses like this in the past? Have any District Collector written letters asking for buses and people to be arranged like this... these are all political rallies. Has the BJP managed to hold any actual political rallies till now?" asked the SP chief.