Akhilesh Yadav claimed that BJP failed to ensure women’s safety in UP, only shouting slogans

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav | Photo Credit: PTI

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday (November 13, 2024) launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government over the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, saying the ruling party’s claims on women empowerment have become “mere slogans”.

Just a week away additional elections for nine House seats in the stateThe former chief minister highlighted the Samajwadi party’s efforts to improve education standards when it was in power in Uttar Pradesh, which included distributing more than 18 lakh laptops to students free of charge.

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Noting that the BJP promised laptops and Wi-Fi in its manifesto, Yadav claimed that the party could not fulfill its promises. “They distributed a few non-functional tablets, whereas the laptops given to our administration are still being used,” he alleged.

The SP chief said in a press release: “BJP’s claims regarding ensuring women’s safety are false. The government cannot point to a single achievement based on facts and logic. Any attempt to discredit the initiatives taken during the Samajwadi Party’s tenure will not succeed.” He highlighted several incidents, including the Hathras rape case, to question India’s commitment to women’s safety. Yadav alleged that “the family of the Hathras rape victim was denied the right to perform her last rites.”

“The gang rape incident in BHU involving people associated with the BJP IT cell was covered up and efforts were made to protect the accused,” Mr. Yadav said.

Citing NCRB statistics, he claimed that crimes against women are highest in Uttar Pradesh, which shows that the state has failed to prevent these crimes. “Women are not safe even in police stations and many cases of women police officers being assaulted have come to light,” Mr. Yadav added.

To highlight his government’s initiatives supporting women’s education and empowerment, Mr. Yadav mentioned the introduction of unemployment benefits, financial support for girls’ education and free textbooks for students from grades 1 to 8.

“Our government’s record in promoting education and financial support for girl students remains a challenge for the BJP dispensation,” he said.

The Samajwadi Party’s statement also referred to schemes such as 1090 service for women’s safety and 108 Ambulance Service to provide quick hospital transport for accident victims.

“BJP has turned the international standard Dial 100 service, which was launched to ensure immediate police response, into a corrupt system under ‘112’,” Mr. Yadav said, adding that the BJP’s “Romeo Squad” initiative for women’s safety is nowhere to be seen. Today.

Referring to the dismissal of women workers who joined the Dial 100 Service last year, he called it “inhumane” and added that these workers “had to protest under cold and rainy conditions during Diwali.”

“Samajwadi Party stood by them in these difficult times,” he said.

The Samajwadi Party chief criticized the BJP for its “false promises” and alleged that women’s lives remain precariously unsafe in Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh. He maintained that attempts to mislead the public would not succeed and that “the truth is that girls are what they fear most under the rule of the BJP.”

Mr. Yadav shared a report on social media citing the comments of women protesters who staged a sit-in against the UP Public Service Commission (UPPSC) in Prayagraj and praised them for their bravery.

Bypolls will be held in nine assembly seats of the state on November 20 and the Samajwadi Party will contest in all of them, trailing the BJP in eight seats and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal in one. Bahujan Samaj Party was also in the fray. Congress is not opposing the by-polls and does not support its INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party.

Votes will be counted on November 23.

Eight of these seats remained vacant after their MLAs were elected as Lok Sabha MPs. The general election in Sisamau seat is being held due to the conviction of Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki in a criminal case.