'Politics of division': SP slams CM Yogi over renaming Mustafabad as Kabirdham

New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party (SP) launched a sharp attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday after his announcement to rename Mustafabad as Kabirdham, accusing the BJP government of engaging in divisive politics instead of focusing on governance and public welfare.

Reacting to the move, SP spokesperson, Fakhrul Hasan Chaand said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party keeps playing politics of name changing, but the Samajwadi Party believes that the PDA (Backward, Dalit, Minority) is going to change the government. There is a government in Uttar Pradesh that has completely failed on the issue of law and order. This government cannot provide fertiliser to farmers, nor safety to people. Women are unsafe. This government is using force against farmers and the youth.”

Responding specifically to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s remark that “earlier funds were used for graveyard boundaries,” Hasan said, “During the Samajwadi Party government, both cremation grounds and graveyards were developed, and funds were spent equally on both. But the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to pursue divisive and hate-driven politics. That’s why they speak without facts. The Samajwadi Party understands that the people will soon replace such a government that spreads hate. The BJP only does politics in the name of religion, Hindu-Muslim, temple-mosque.”

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that Mustafabad in Lakhimpur Kheri district will now be known as Kabirdham. The announcement was made during his visit to the Kabirdham Ashram in Mustafabad, where he attended the three-day Prakatotsav programme of Sant Asang Dev Maharaj.

Addressing a large gathering, the Chief Minister stated that since 2014, funds have been allocated for the development of all religious sites, whereas previously, such funds were primarily used for graveyards. “Whether it’s Kashi, Ayodhya, Kushinagar, Naimisharanya, Shuktirth, Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, Baldev, or Govardhan, funds have been provided there for development work. But earlier, this money used to go elsewhere, for building boundaries around kabristans,” Yogi said.

He further added, “When I came here, I inquired about this village. I was told its name is Mustafabad. I asked how many Muslims live here, and they said not even one. Yet, the name remained Mustafabad. I said this name should be changed to Kabirdham.”

The renaming has sparked a fresh political controversy in Uttar Pradesh, with the opposition accusing the BJP of using religious sentiments to divert attention from governance failures.

--IANS

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