Shruti Suman
New Delhi: In the aftermath of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that sparked controversy in Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed the Narendra Modi government with a speech characterized by sarcasm and poetic undertones. During the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, the Kannauj MP highlighted the critical issue of paper leaks in competitive exams and emphasized his continued skepticism of the EVM voting system, regardless of his party’s potential electoral success in Uttar Pradesh.
Referring to electoral promises, Yadav stated, “They claimed ‘400-plus’ during the election. I want to thank the people because, for the first time, it seems a lost government is in power. The people believe this government won’t last.”
In a poetic critique of the NDA government, which was formed after the BJP, having failed to secure a majority, allied with other parties, Yadav said, “There is no foundation or support for this government. It is suspended in mid-air; such a government cannot stand.”
He asserted that the Opposition bloc, INDIA, had achieved a moral victory in the recent elections, remarking, “The entire nation recognizes that INDIA is pro-India.”
Yadav commemorated June 4 as a symbolic independence day from communal politics, stating, “The politics of division is being defeated, and the politics of unity is prevailing.”
Addressing economic claims, Yadav noted, “The government boasts about India being the fifth-largest economy. But why does it conceal our ranking in per capita income, the hunger index, and the happiness index?”
He added, “The country should be governed by the will of the people, not by personal ambitions. Whims won’t work, the people’s will must prevail.”
Focusing on Uttar Pradesh, Yadav criticized the state’s development efforts, citing “potholes of corruption” and describing the “loot in the name of development.” He mocked the BJP’s Smart City initiative, saying, “Aircraft landed on roads built by us, but now boats are operating in the state’s major city.”
Yadav condemned the emergence of a “competitive exams mafia,” highlighting widespread paper leaks, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, which has triggered nationwide protests. He accused the government of engineering these leaks to avoid providing jobs, stating, “Amrit kaal has poisoned the hopes of youngsters. A government that kills hope cannot improve the present or the future.”
Celebrating the INDIA bloc’s victory in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, Yadav referred to it as a testament to the maturity of the Indian voter. He invoked Lord Ram, suggesting that the election results reflected divine will and critiquing those who claimed credit for the Ram temple’s construction.
Concluding, Yadav recited a poem about spreading Lord Ram’s “message of love” from Ayodhya and reaffirmed his party’s strong support for a caste census, underscoring its importance for social justice.
