Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister answers questions on forthcoming elections, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party and the goonda image which his party is fighting.
Here are the highlights of the special interview:
Here are the highlights of the special interview:
- New government must be socialist, secular and must have good relations with neighbouring nations
- The entire nation looking forward to the new government
- The people of UP and the whole country know the character of BJP
- Not just economic prosperity, we want growth in all sectors
- Lot of questions are being raised about BJP rule in certain states
- The story of Muzaffarnagar very long, whenever any issue has been raised, the BJP has blown up matter
- I even called in forces to control the situation in Muzaffarnagar, within hours everything was controlled
- Today's voter is smart; he knows & understands the truth of the matter
- Congress has failed in every state
- On Third Front: Will look at whatever alternative presents itself after polls
- Some states which don't have Congress or BJP governments have done very well
- I admit we had a scheme for weavers in Varanasi which failed
- Our government is working for the weavers in Uttar Pradesh
- Dig at AAP: They want to end corruption but fled in 50 days
- Samajwadi Party has tried to combat corruption. It is a major issue for us
- If the environment is not good, if there is no feeling of brotherhood, the system will fail
- Hence I said the new government must be such that they maintain harmony in the society
- We have to learn to live in harmony with all communities
- India should have such a government which keeps the societal structure of India intact
- Social media is a world full of mystery
- We have to use everything for the benefit of people
- We distributed laptops, the Opposition says children are watching films on them - I ask what is the harm?
- It's difficult to control social media; things happen very fast there
- People using social media must be responsible
- If I have to blame a single incident for my entering politics, it is my marriage
- They say a marriage can open the doors to fortune - I was married in November and became an MP in February
- Akhilesh cites Pan Singh Tomar's example when he speaks of criminals in UP politics: The situation is not like that anymore.
- Everyone who saw Paan Singh Tomar must have liked it, the movie showed under what circumstances he became a dacoit. But the area (Chambal) has changed a lot now, people are welcoming that
- On candidates and criminal cases against them: SP and its leadership has discussed in detail our candidates, on who should contest from where, these candidates were backed by the local people
- On Ateeq Ahmed getting SP ticket: Our party sought people's opinion and took the decision. Court will decide on charges against him and the Samajwadi Party can't defend that.
- On dynasty politics: Samajwadi Party leaders believe in 'sangarsh ka parivarvaad'
- Asked my wife to contest, she lost the first time, but won the next time
- A party is imitating Ram Manohar Lohia. He was the first one to say Congress should be swept away with a jhadu
- On Muzaffarnagar: I was open to suggestions but some people wanted to do politics
- The scale of relief and rehabilitation work done by SP after Muzaffarnagar riots was the largest
- Supreme Court was monitoring our work in Muzaffarnagar, we gave due answers to all human rights agencies
- People ask us about economic policies, we concentrate on farmers
- Food and shelter should be affordable; health facilities & education should be free
- On sedition charges against Meerut students: They were not able to gauge the reaction but such serious charges shouldn't have been levelled
- On women being targeted in Muzaffarnagar: Samajwadi Party government is providing free education till Class 12. The number of girls being educated has gone up, have even given them laptops. Our government has registered FIRs against those guilty, over 300 people have been jailed. As far as SP is concerned, we are working towards women's welfare. The people in those families are truly happy where their women are happy
- Samajwadi Party has always empowered farmers. Only nations/states who have focussed on farmers, education and health, have gone forward
- This is a 'jhat-pat' economy. There have been so many changes, generation gaps. But look at what happened with mobiles - even villagers have understood how to operate them
- Netaji is party president, what he said was for the government, not Azam Khan
- There is no son who hasn't been reprimanded by his father... and I'm unable to understand when he is my party president and when he is my father
- On allegations of goondaraj: Delhi is the capital of goondas
- If two party workers fight amongst themselves in UP, they are goondas; if 2 party workers fight in Delhi, throw stones, they are not goondas, are they intellectuals?
- Look at what happened in Delhi yesterday, no one said goondas were fighting
- I am not in the race for Prime Minister
- I feel it's not appropriate to call Mulayam Singh father, hence I call him 'netaji'
- In a democracy, we know someone can't become PM without numbers
- Every state will want that the PM is from their state
- Samajwadis are the Congress's best friends when they are at their weakest
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