SP workers 'purify' places visited by UP CM in Sambhal
Samajwadi Party youth workers undertook a "purification" exercise of the places visited by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Sambhal district by sprinkling Gangajal. A video of the purification exercise on Wednesday has gone viral. A case was lodged against Samajwadi Party Yuvjan Sabha state President Bhavesh Yadav and eight to 10 others, Superintendent of Police Chakresh Misra said on Thursday.
Adityanath had inaugurated projects worth Rs. 275cr
"Yadav has been arrested," he added. Adityanath had inaugurated and laid foundations of projects worth Rs. 275 crore and addressed a public meeting at Kaila Devi in Sambhal district on Tuesday. A day later, Yadav and SP Yuvjan Sabha workers undertook the shuddhikaran (purification) exercise of the venue of the Chief Minister's public meeting and helipad by sprinkling waters from the Ganga river.
Adityanath insulted Maa Kaila Devi by not visiting temple: Yadav
Talking to the media during the exercise, Yadav claimed he conducted the purification drive as Adityanath has "insulted" Maa Kaila Devi by not visiting the temple when he was here. A resident of Sambhal filed a complaint at the Bahjoi Police Station alleging that Yadav's action has upset followers of Adityanath who is also a religious leader.
Akhilesh Yadav has often alleged that Adityanath did the same
SP President Akhilesh Yadav has often alleged that when he vacated Adityanath's official residence in Lucknow after his defeat in the 2017 Assembly elections, seers and priests had undertaken "purifying rituals" at the bungalow to make it ready for Adityanath. The former CM had also said that he would get the fire brigade to spray Gangajal on it after returning to power in 2022.
BJP came to power in UP in 2017 after decades
The BJP came to power in UP in 2017 after a gap of over two decades. As assembly elections are drawing near in UP, Adityanath and the BJP are pitching religion as the key electoral plank to corner its main rival, Samajwadi Party. This time the state is likely to witness a three-corner fight between the BJP, the SP, and the BSP.
