LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Thursday asked the BJP whether it was pursuing a “jhoot and boot” campaign, a day after the party was embarrassed by its two legislators who attacked each other during a meeting, with one of them using his shoe.
By “jhoot” (lies), Yadav appeared to be referring to the multi-crore Rafale aircraft deal, which the Opposition has alleged involved corruption.
His comments came a day after the BJP-led government at the Centre told the Supreme Court that documents related to the agreement had been “stolen” from the Defence Ministry.
“First there were parallel negotiations. Then the (Rafale) files were stolen. Meanwhile in Uttar Pradesh, MP-MLA used shoes for dispute resolution at a meeting to discuss development. Now BJP workers are asking their leaders as to what campaign is on? The ‘jhoot’ and the ‘boot’ or the youth and the booth?” Yadav said in Lucknow.
His “boot” dig was aimed at the fracas in Sant Kabir Nagar, where two elected representatives of the BJP hit each other during a meeting in presence of minister of in-charge of the district, Ashutosh Tandon, son of Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon.
One of the legislators involved in the fight, caught on tape, used his shoe to hit the other.
On Thursday, Yadav’s ally in Uttar Pradesh for the general election, BSP chief Mayawati, too had a dig at the Centre’s disclosure about “stolen” Rafale jet deal documents.
Mayawati said in a tweet it was a “very strange and irresponsible chowkidari” that the documents were “stolen”.
“The Modi govt made a sensational disclosure in the Hon’ble Supreme Court that secret documents pertaining to Rafale fighter deal were stolen from the Defence Ministry.”
‘Very strange & irresponsible chowkidari. Is national security & interest in the safe hands? Think long & loud,” she tweeted.
Later in a statement, she said it was “most irresponsible, most unfortunate and shameful” that Rafale deal-related documents were stolen from the ministry.
She asked the Modi government to apologise for failing on the matter of national security.
“Before making the stunning revelations (about documents being stolen) in the Supreme Court, the Narendra Modi government ought to have apologised to the nation for failing on the matter of national security,” the BSP chief said in the statement.
She said the Supreme Court should now get the entire matter probed under its supervision to satisfy the country. (AGENCIES)
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