UP: Akhilesh slams BJP’s ‘double engine’ governance model

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the BJP’s “double-engine” government in various states, saying those who support and vote for the BJP blindly should engage in self-introspection.

In a long post on X, Yadav said if BJP supporters have even a shred of patriotism, humanity, wisdom and conscience left, they should question the prevailing situation keeping in mind their families, especially their sisters and daughters.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister cited a series of incidents from BJP-ruled states to criticise the “double-engine” governance model, alleging failures on several fronts-- from law and order and corruption to social justice and environment.

He said people have been “forced” to take to the streets in Uttarakhand “seeking justice for the daughter of Uttarakhand”. “In Uttar Pradesh, people are dying due to poisonous syrup.”

Referring to the recovery of crores of rupees in cash from the residence of a GST officer in UP, he questioned the government’s claims on curbing black money and ensuring an honest tax system.

Yadav also alleged that people were dying due to contaminated water in Madhya Pradesh and that “atrocities against Dalits had crossed all limits” there. He flagged the issue of severe air pollution in Delhi, farmers’ protests in Rajasthan against hazardous factories, and illegal mining in Gujarat and Haryana, alleging that the public was being forced to seek justice only through the courts.

He further mentioned incidents from Tripura, Assam, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar, alleging communal discrimination, attacks on minorities during festivals, threats to street vendors, electoral malpractices and rampant corruption.

Yadav said that if nothing else, people should reflect on alleged large-scale corruption, declining businesses, unemployment among youth, environmental degradation, rising social hatred and violence, and atrocities against women and the PDA (backward, Dalit and minority).

He also urged people to look beyond communal politics and think about India’s future, its “deteriorating” global image and the “challenges faced by Indians abroad due to reactions to domestic developments”.