Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statement in the Lok Sabha referring to him as a "friend" who occasionally extends help.
Addressing a press conference at Lucknow, Akhilesh asserted he does not "need such friends."
PM Modi had, during his speech in the Lok Sabha last week on the now-rejected constitution amendment bill linked to delimitation and implementation of women's reservation, remarked that "Akhilesh ji is my friend, so he helps me sometimes."
Asked about the comment, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Yes, it is a very important question, but our mic was switched off (in the House). We have said we do not need such friends."
He said that only the prime minister could clarify what assistance he was referring to.
"As far as the claim of help is concerned, if you ask the prime minister what help I have provided, only he can answer that. To my knowledge, there has been no such thing," the former chief minister said.
Replying to a question, Akhilesh cautioned people to remain vigilant, alleging that the BJP could resort to extreme measures in the face of defeat.
"I want to warn everyone to stay alert and cautious. When the BJP is losing, it can do anything. It is now heading towards defeat and, once it goes, it may never return. That fear is troubling them the most," he said.
Akhilesh also slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'padyatra' against the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Parliament. He called it a practise for the BJP to sit in Opposition.
"This 'padyatra' was a practice. It shows that they will have to agitate like this when they sit in the Opposition. This is the first government which, while being in power, is practising how to function as the Opposition," he said.
Taking a jibe at the BJP, Akhilesh said never before had a ruling dispensation struggled so much for a law it had itself enacted.
"Perhaps in history no government has fought so much for its own law as this one is doing. This is unprecedented," he said.
He also referred to the defeat of the bill --seeking to revise the framework governing delimitation and implementation of women's reservation in Parliament-- as a "historic democratic victory" and thanked voters and leaders of the opposition alliance.
"We express gratitude to the people and all leaders of the INDIA alliance who supported this effort. This is not just a democratic victory but also a defeat of the BJP," he said.
Reiterating his party's stand on women's reservation, Akhilesh said, "Samajwadis have always supported reservation for women, both inside and outside the House. If anyone is trying to stall reservation, it is the BJP. We will not allow their intentions to succeed."
Projecting his party's political plank, the SP chief invoked the "PDA" (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) grouping, asserting that it would decisively challenge the BJP in the upcoming elections.
"For the first time in history, one social bloc is going to defeat them (BJP)...This bloc is PDA - the PDA family. People united by shared pain and issues will come together as one and defeat the BJP," he said.
Akhilesh said the alliance of backward classes, Dalits and minorities would work towards establishing a government based on social justice.
"In the coming time, we are moving towards forming a PDA government to establish a state based on social justice," he added.
He also accused the ruling party of avoiding a caste census, alleging it feared demands for rights and reservations that could follow.
"Those who do not want counting know that once a census happens, people will demand caste enumeration. And when the caste census is done, people will ask for their rights and reservations," he said.
He further alleged that those who swore to uphold the Constitution were taking to the streets with "ulterior motives."
"People who have taken an oath of the Constitution are roaming on the streets. The public has seen through their conspiracy and it has been exposed," he said.
Drawing a comparison with Hitler's propaganda machinery, Akhilesh alleged that the BJP was attempting to "mislead" people.
"Historians say that during Hitler's time there was a minister for propaganda. But here, not just the government, many people in constitutional positions are involved. However, the people have understood the truth," he said.
Asserting confidence in the Opposition's prospects, he said, "In the coming time, we will not only remove the BJP but ensure it is removed for good."
He also accused the state government of "failing" to ensure women's safety.
"If we look at the data, daughters are most unsafe in Uttar Pradesh, and incidents continue to occur while the government tries to conceal them. The 1090 service has been ruined, even ambulance services have been destroyed," he alleged.
(With inputs from PTI)
