LUCKNOW: Efforts have been made in the past a few years to kill the communal amity, said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here on Sunday while calling for protecting the country's brotherhood and integrity.
Addressing an Independence Day programme at the party office here, Akhilesh Yadav paid tributes to freedom fighters and said some people want to "divide society by raking up the past".
"The biggest identity of our country is that people of different castes and religion live together here. This cannot be found in other countries. However, in the past a few years, it is being seen that efforts are being made to kill our 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb'," he said.
"Hence, the 'samajwadis' must pledge to protect India's integrity and ensure there is brotherhood and love among people of the country," he added.
"Today, there are problems before farmers of the country and we have to identify those who have insulted our 'annadatas'," the SP chief said.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said on one hand the "annadata" is being insulted, on the other, "ann mahotsava" is being held to confuse us.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, many lives were lost. There was a shortage of medicines and people were arranging (oxygen) cylinders to save their loved ones. Today, our country is young because of the number of youth. If they do not have jobs, then what will happen to the country's future," he asked.
Referring to the UP Assembly polls next year, Akhilesh Yadav said, "We will fight and every youth must consider the 2022 UP polls as his own elections to save the country and the Constitution."
"Those in power have not fulfilled any of the poll promises. In 1931, a caste census was done and today the entire country wants a caste census and the samajwadis want it because these people who are sitting in the government instigate castiest violence," he further said.
Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, while addressing party workers, said "We hope that every year you will stand up for the country to defend it and safeguard its honour."
Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said the dream of creating an egalitarian and progressive society, which was envisioned after the independence of the country through a humanitarian Constitution, is still incomplete.
Mayawati said happiness, peace, prosperity, education, employment and justice are the basic values of the Constitution, towards which the Centre and the state government should work with full honesty and sincerity.
"Millions of poor and oppressed people of the country have spent a very long time waiting for bright days. This is extremely worrying. Time has come for all government officials to devote themselves to the country and uplift the poor," she said.
The Tricolour was also unfurled at the UP BJP headquarters by state unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh.
UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu unfurled the Tricolour at the party office.