BJP is full of goondas: Naresh Agarwal

Interview with MP, Samajwadi Party

Naresh Agarwal tells Kavita Chowdhury that the controversial yatra was nothing but a political rally.  
 
In connection with the VHP's Chaurasi kosi yatra yesterday at Ayodhya, the Samajwadi party led Uttar Pradesh government stopped the VHP yatra. Political parties are accusing both the SP and the VHP of deliberately polarising the issue.
 
This is not true. The BJP, RSS, VHP they are again trying to communalise the polity using the garb of religious ceremonies. It was not meant to be a chaurasi kosi yatra but a completely political rally.

Actually, the yatra is usually conducted in April. Its never conducted in ‘Bhado’. Even the Shankaracharya has himself said that this is not the time for the yatra. Stopping the yatra by the UP government was a completely a law and order issue.

 
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, has even gone so far as accused the SP and the VHP of “match fixing.” Interesting you are an ally of the UPA and extend outside support and still...
 
Nobody takes Digvijaya Singh seriously. He has a habit of making controversial statements. Official Congress spokespersons have never said anything like this. Even the Congress does not pay any heed to his statement.
 
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today accused the Opposition BJP of “goondagardi” (hooliganism) leading to much pandemonium in the Lok Sabha.
 
Definitely, they did resort to goondagardi. Yesterday, BJP workers vanadalised our office in Delhi. Usually Ram Gopal Yadavji sits there but since it was a Sunday luckily he wasn’t there.

They broke our party board, tore posters etc. BJP is nothing but goondas. It show the kind of ‘goondagardi’ they want to unleash in ‘Uttar Pradesh.’

On the crucial Food bill, are you going to support the Congress led UPA’s pet scheme  
 
We have ceratin amendments to the Food bill and want these issues to be addressed. If wheat and rice is being given, so should ‘dal’. That also has to be given as part of the scheme. Moreover, the entitlement must increase from 5kgs to 7 kgs per person.

All BPL beneficiaries must be brought under the scheme and the very poor – ie beggars, destitute should be given free food. Most importantly, farmer interests have to be taken care of.