Akhilesh Yadav Slams RSS, BJP & Modi on Independence Day

Lucknow, Aug 15 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a veiled dig at the RSS after it was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, saying it should thank the British on completion of its 100 years as some organisations were made by them so that the country could be divided on religious lines.

Speaking to reporters at the Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow after hoisting the tricolour, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also questioned the prime minister's 'swadeshi' pitch, saying those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi in mind.

He hit out at the ruling BJP, saying it should not tell lies and no politics should be done on this day.

"This group of Sanghi saathis... I want to remind them that when the BJP was formed and the person who became the first national president of the BJP, in its first session, it was decided that the political ideology of the party would be socialist and secular.

"And, on this completion of 100 years, they should congratulate the British. Because we have heard and some historians have also written that some organisations were made by the British so that 'Bharat' could be divided on religious lines, a gulf could be created between Hindus and Muslims.

"Hence, the Sanghi saathis, whose first ideology is socialist and secular, they should remember it, so that the country can move forward," Yadav said.

Prime Minister Modi on Friday hailed 100 years of RSS as a "very proud and glorious" journey of the "world's biggest NGO" and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation.

The prime minister also made a sweeping call for "swadeshi" (Made in India) -- self-reliance and innovation in a gamut of sectors, including semiconductors, social media, fertiliser and pharma.

"Those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well," Yadav said, while raising issues like US tariffs and GST.

"The BJP people should not be speaking lies on August 15 (Independence Day), a day which is celebrated with joy. No politics should be done during this," the SP chief said.

"Our borders should be secured, our Army should be strong, and schemes like Agniveer should be stopped. And, we also see those people, who appear to be 'swadeshi' from speech, but are 'videshi' (foreigners) from the mind ('aur hum unn logo ko bhi dekhte hai jo mooh se to swadeshi hai, lekin mann se videshi hai').

"If someone is a foreigner in mind, then how will our business increase? Today, a country like the US is posing a problem for our industrialists by imposing tariffs," Yadav said.

He said a district like Bhadohi used to do trade worth thousands of crores of rupees but now its business has shrunk significantly.

"And, there is China -- our neighbour, which occupies our land from time to time, has captured our entire market. Today, we have the highest trade deficit with China. Hence, those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well," Yadav said.

India has recorded trade surplus with as many as 151 countries such as the US and the Netherlands, while the country has a trade deficit with 75 nations, including China and Russia, during the first half of this year, according to think tank GTRI (Global Trade Research Initiative).

Yadav also said that the "web of GST and fear-inducing ('daraane waalee) institutions such as ED, CBI and Income Tax, will not allow our trade to increase, but will lead to closure".

Referring to the dropping of the atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the SP chief said, "After the dropping of bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, the results which were visible, the world accepted that it will never go into an atomic war. We will not use atomic energy to take someone's life.

"'Samajwadi' (socialist) people and many people in the world are against the war. But, our Army should be strong."

"Those who are saying that we should not be afraid of nuclear (apparently referring to nuclear weapons), to them, I would make one request that our Army should be strengthened. We are not going to win the war by making Didi Drones. When we end the Agniveer system, we will be able to face our neighbours," Yadav said.