Amit Shah attacks SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over Jinnah remarks

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday targeted the Samajwadi Party, alleging it stands for "Jinnah, Azam Khan and Mukhtar (Ansari)", and asserted that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has rid the Purvanchal region of "mosquitoes and mafias".

"BJP gave the people 'JAM' - Jandhan, Aadhar and Mobile- but the SP people say they have also brought 'JAM' - Jinnah, Azam Khan and Mukhtar (don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari)," Shah said addressing a rally in Azamgarh, an SP bastion represented by party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lok Sabha.

"You should tell me whether you want BJP's JAM or SP's JAM. These people can never work for the welfare of Uttar Pradesh. They indulge in dividing people on the basis of caste, causing riots, appeasement and vote-bank politics," Shah said.

As the election season is approaching, Akhilesh Yadav is seeing greatness in Mohammad Ali Jinnah, he said referring to the Pakistan founder.

"There are so many people from the minority community here, is there anyone here who sees greatness in Jinnah," Shah said.

Akhilesh Yadav has drawn flak for his statement in which he equated Muhammad Ali Jinnah with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, saying they helped India get freedom.

Shah said Chief Minister Adityanath has ensured the migration of mafias from Azamgarh and other parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Yogi Adityanath has "'freed Purvanchal (eastern UP) of mosquitoes and mafias'', he said.

''You (Akhilesh Yadav) never cleaned this area. Mosquitoes were ruling and children were dying of brain fever. But Prime Minister Modi's Swachhta campaign was implemented here by Adityanath and the region became mosquito-free,'' he said.

Shah was addressing the rally in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh after laying the foundation of a new state university here.