Atiq, Mukhtar, Gayatri Prajapati: UP BJP's New Campaign Video Seeks To Remind People Of Akhilesh Yadav's Old 'Allies'

Ahead of the urban local body elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released a video targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav by accusing him of being the "saviour" of gangster-turned-politicians like Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari, and also blamed him for the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

On Monday (24 April), UP BJP tweeted a video "Gundey Pukartey Hain, Akhilesh Aaiye" (criminals are urging Akhilesh to come to power).

In the 4.24-minute video, Akhilesh can be seen wearing a skull cap, and the old photos of him with former MP Atiq Ahmed, who was recently killed in Prayagraj, and Mukhtar Ansari, who is currently imprisoned, are displayed.

The video features the song “Muzaffarnagar ka danga gulzar tumhi se tha…Mukhtar aur Atiq ka uddhar tumse tha… Aparadhiyon ko neta banaya tumhi ne tha…Gaurva aur sachin ko marwaya tumhi ne tha… Dangon mein UP ko vapas jalaiye… (Muzaffarnagar riots happened because of you… Mukhtar and Atiq prospered because of you… You made criminals political leaders, you got Gaurav and Sachin killed… Come, and set UP ablaze again in riots)” playing in the background.

The song accuses Akhilesh of endorsing and facilitating criminal activities and riots, and incites people to take action against him. The video has caused controversy and criticism for the former Chief Minister.

The Muzaffarnagar riots broke out in 2013 after two youths Gaurav and Sachin were killed In 2013, when Akhilesh Yadav was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

The video also accused Akhilesh of giving respect to eve teasers and shows a photo of Gayatri Prajapati, who is in jail in a case of rape and extortion.

The BJP, through the video, accused Akhilesh of shattering his father's dream of following the ideals of Jai Prakash Narayan.
The song states that Akhilesh is the same politician who looted UP and broke JP's dreams, thereby revealing his true character.

The song states that Akhilesh is the same politician who looted UP and broke JP's dreams.

“UP ko jisne loota, who neta tumhi to they.. .JP ke sapne tod de, who beta tumhi toh they (The one who looted UP, the politician you were… The one who shattered JP’s dreams, the son you were…),” the song says.

The BJP's campaign song dubs Akhilesh as the face of "nakli samajwad" and warns voters that a win by SP would result in firing on Ram Bhakts.

Shivpal Yadav, SP leader and Akhilesh's uncle, responded to the BJP video, stating that the party's language resembles that of "roadside crooks" and is now an "institution of character assassination."

In a Hindi tweet, Shivpal stated that the Samajwadi Party deeply values democracy, equality, and unity.