Dharmendra Yadav warns against dividing voters with 'batenge toh' slogan

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav has accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of spreading hatred with his "batenge toh katenge (divided we fall)" remark and said such attempts to divide voters would be rejected in the upcoming byelections.

He said that the "PDA people" -- Pichhade' (backward classes), 'Dalit' and 'Alpsankhyak' (minorities) -- are standing firmly with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and will ensure his party's victory in the November 13 bypolls to nine assembly seats.

"The chief minister has forgotten that the PDA people were ignored by his government and the Centre but they are united and are not going to be divided by his speeches.

"PDA people are standing unitedly with Akhilesh Yadav and when election results come, you will see what people have decided," Yadav told reporters here on Monday evening.

On party leader Shivpal Yadav's statement that those who make '"batenge toh katenge statements, woh pitenge' (those who make such statements will be beaten)", Dharmendra Yadav said it is obvious he "is pointing at those who are creating hatred and ignoring the PDA."  Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath had on September 23 reiterated his "batenge toh katenge" remark, saying it was disunity that led to "invaders destroying the Ram temple" in Ayodhya.

"Hum bate they, toh kate they," he had said at an event in Mirzapur, referring to the Ayodhya dispute and urging people to stay united.

Earlier, Adityanath had made the same remark while referring to the violence in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government and alleged atrocities against Hindus.