‘SP says P for pichhda, and then P for pandit… May soon say P for Pakistan’: Yogi’s PDA jibe

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a jab at the Samajwadi Party's PDA outreach during an event in Lucknow to commemorate the late former UP CM and BJP leader Kalyan Singh's death anniversary. The PDA, which stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (backward castes), had previously been criticized for its fluid definition. Yogi Adityanath warned that the party might eventually turn "P" into an acronym for "Pakistan".

At the event, Adityanath highlighted how the party's meaning of "P" had shifted from backward classes to pandits. He emphasized that the party's statements were unpredictable and unreliable.

He specifically criticized SP president Akhilesh Yadav for not paying tribute to Kalyan Singh personally, contrasting this with BSP chief Mayawati, who visited to pay respects. Adityanath accused SP of disrespecting Hindu values, stating that Kalyan Singh had dedicated his life to Sanatan values and Hindu pride.

Regarding Kalyan Singh's political legacy, the CM stressed that he supported the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, even though it came with political consequences. Adityanath quoted his late predecessor's statement that while struggling for the movement was acceptable, insulting Lord Shri Ram was not. He further mentioned Kalyan Singh's association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishva Hindu Parishad, and how his decision to prevent firing on Ram devotees contributed to the construction of the Ram temple by ending the "structure of slavery" at the Janmabhoomi site.