Rajbhar Mocks Akhilesh Yadav Over Claims of BJP Links to AIMIM-ASP

UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has challenged SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to reveal who informed him that the alliance between Asaduddin Owaisi and Chandrashekhar Azad was orchestrated by the BJP, following Yadav's comments on the matter.

Rajbhar Mocks Akhilesh Yadav Over Claims of BJP Links to AIMIM-ASP

Ambedkar Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 15 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said that Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's remarks on the alliance between AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party (ASP) chief Chandrashekhar Azad suggested that Yadav believed the alliance had been formed by the BJP ahead of the forthcoming state assembly polls. Taking a jibe, Rajbhar said that Yadav must disclose who had informed him that the alliance involving the two leaders was formed by the BJP.

"Akhilesh Yadav is calling Owaisi and Chandrashekhar the BJP's B-team. He is calling this an alliance formed by the BJP. We want to ask Akhilesh Yadav: if this was formed by the BJP, how did you come to know about it? Did Amit Shah ji tell you, or did Modi ji tell you, or did Nitin Nabin ji tell you? Who told you? Please disclose this," Rajbhar told ANI.

Earlier on Saturday, Owaisi launched a sharp attack on Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), invoking the 1987 Hashimpura and Maliana massacres and the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots to question their record on issues concerning Muslims, while defending his alliance with Chandrashekhar Azad ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Addressing a public meeting in Meerut, Owaisi asked voters not to forget the incidents under previous governments and questioned Congress over its criticism of the AIMIM's political choices.

"On May 22, 1987, in this very Meerut, 42 Muslims were massacred in Gang Nahar in Hashimpura. The government was Congress. Ask your grandfather. Ask your elders what happened in Hashimpura," he said. Referring to the Maliana massacre, he added, "In 1987, on the 22nd and 23rd, in just one day, 42 Muslims were massacred in Hashimpura, and the next day, 72 were massacred in Maliana. Congress party people, do you forget the dates, or do you think I don't remember? I remember every single thing, and I will remember. "The AIMIM chief also targeted the SP over the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, alleging that the then state government failed to adequately help those displaced by the violence. "When he was Chief Minister, the Muzaffarnagar massacre happened in 2013. 50,000 people were driven out of their homes," Owaisi said, questioning the SP's response despite having 47 Muslim MLAs at the time. (ANI)