BJP in slumber despite Joshimath tragedy; proper compensation needed for those suffered losses: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, Jan 12 (PTI) Accusing the BJP government of being in a slumber despite the Joshimath tragedy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday demanded proper compensation for those who have suffered losses.

Speaking to reporters here, Yadav said that BJP government both in Uttrakhand and the centre was ignoring its responsibility towards the affected families in Joshimath.

“Such a big tragedy has taken place in Joshimath and the government still appears to be in a slumber. The government needs to extend proper compensation to the locals there as they are facing loss of all their lifelong savings in setting up their businesses, hotels and now they are forced to leave everything behind,” Yadav said.

Yadav also said that local people in Joshimath were not satisfied.

“If the government is going to give inadequate compensation, how will the locals there be satisfied? The government has already accepted that it has so much money in its exchequer and also said that its economy is improving, they should pay for all the damage and cover all the expenses,” he said.

The Samajwadi Party president said that if the cracks there have been caused because of the NTPC project they should be immediately shut down and no big project should be set up on a ‘kutcha hill.”

The SP president, in the ongoing twitter war with the BJP, said that the party has changed its social media team.

“When BJP has no reply, they put police before them. No FIR has been lodged on any of the complaints that we have given. The meaning is the police is being run by the BJP,” he said.

Yadav said that he had advised the BJP and its people on Hindi Divas that they should use cultured language.

“It is their strategy to put forward which caste man has to be used for raising which question. This is their caste based thinking,” he said.

On the occasion of Vivekanand Jayanti on Thursday, a Samajwadi calendar was also launched.

When asked about the invitation to participate in the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Kashmir, he said that he has got the invitation and will discuss within the party on the same.

“Our party is not part of the Yatra, I wish them all the luck, but our party has different ideology and programmes,” he said .

Yadav also said that he has got the invitation for the BRS rally at Khammam to be addressed by Telangana chief minister KCR Reddy and will attend it.