Uttar Pradesh CM defends Saifai Mahotsav, hits back at critics

Says it's unfortunate that the artistes who have no knowledge about Muzaffarnagar were asked questions about it

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday hit back at critics and defended his government’s Saifai Mahotsav, saying the budget for the festival was around Rs 6-7crore and not Rs 300 crore as alleged by a section of the media.

Critical of a section of the media for running stories against the mahotsav, the chief minister claimed that the daily, which carried that the budget of the festival was Rs 300 crores, had called for an apology.

“It’s being said purposely that the budget for Saifai Mahotsav was Rs 300 crores... Those who are making such a claim should apologise or else give the details of the expenditure made for the festival,” Akhilesh  said at a press conference here.

“The person who has written such a story should be punished... We have a mela committee which keeps the expenditure details... And we should not be forced to launch a struggle,” he warned. Not naming the newspaper, the chief minister hinted that because its owner, a party MP, was denied a Rajya Sabha ticket, such a story was carried. “It’s unfortunate that the artistes who have no knowledge about Muzaffarnagar were asked questions about it... You ask me... I am the chief minister and ready to answer them,” he said.

Talking about the participation of film stars in the mahotsav, the CM  said, “They have come earlier too when SP was not in power... It’s not right to humiliate them (the artists) and ask how did they take part in the programme.”