NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has come under heavy attack from the BJP for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the rejuvenated and transformed Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi on Monday.
Asked by mediapersons to comment on the BJP having planned a month-long programme to celebrate the restoration of the pilgrimage site, Akhilesh said, "It is good. They can stay there not just for one month, but even two or three months. That is the right place to stay. People spend their last days in Banaras (Varanasi)."
The BJP leaders came down heavily on Akhilesh for passing such a remark.
BJP’s co-in-charge of West Bengal Amit Malviya said in a tweet: “The statement of Akhilesh Yadav that 'one spends the last moments in Varanasi only' is shameful. Expressing the wish of death for the Prime Minister today when such a special work of restoration of Vishwanath Dham was achieved shows his (Akhilesh's) perverted mentality. Frustrated by the apparent defeat in the election, Akhilesh has lost his balance."
Uttar Pradesh (UP) jal shakti minister Mahendra Singh tweeted: "On one hand, the country today is praising PM Modi on seeing the grand form of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. But on the other hand, Akhilesh, who is full of Jinnah mentality, is so shocked to see all this that he has made such a distasteful statement for PM Modi. The people will definitely answer to his remarks."
UP BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh also criticised the former UP chief minister. He said: "Akhilesh Yadav is shocked to see such the grand structure of Kashi (Vishwanath Dham). If an idol of Jinnah was unveiled somewhere, he would have jumped with joy and distributed sweets from house-to-house."
UP micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Sidharth Nath Singh also took to Twitter to lash out at Akhilesh. He said: "Those who are inspired by Indian culture do not wish bad even for their enemies. But only those who are inspired by Jinnah culture can speak this type of language. So what to say about Akhilesh ji? He is inspired by Jinnah culture."
The inauguration event took place a couple of months before UP goes to polls.
