Akhilesh Yadav vs BJP over ‘moving bulldozer’ on Kargil hero Munish Yadav memorial

“The BJP is now moving bulldozers to the monuments of martyrs,” said Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow/Mainpuri (UP):

Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that the “BJP is now moving bulldozers” even on martyr monuments in Uttar Pradesh, a charge dismissed by a state minister and the district administration.

His wife Dimple Yadav, Lok Sabha member from Mainpuri, said martyrs were being insulted to “benefit the BJP land mafia”.

I think it’s good I think it’s good!

I think it’s good I think I did it right I think I did it right Yeah I think that

I think I did good I think it… photo.twitter.com/MYVIiCbNe8

— Dimple Yadav (@dimpleyadav) September 1, 2024

Their comments came in the wake of an incident in Mainpuri’s Kishni tehsil district, where the boundary wall of a memorial dedicated to Kargil martyr Munish Yadav was allegedly demolished by officials last week.

I think I did it right I’m happy I think I did it right In 2000 there was a new version of it I think it’s good I think I can do that I think I did it right

and now… photo.twitter.com/qsQNPn818z

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 31, 2024

Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said the allegations made by the SP leaders were “baseless” and “devoid of any facts”.

Kishni Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gopal Sharma told PTI that the martyr’s wife Manju Devi and his brother Avnish Kumar had filed a complaint with District Magistrate Avinash Krishna on Friday, alleging that the boundary wall of the memorial was bulldozed by the ‘lekhpal’ and ‘kanungo’ (revenue officials) in collusion with the land mafia on August 29 without any prior notice.

Mr Sharma said an illegal temporary structure near the statue was demolished but the boundary wall of the monument was not touched.

The SDM also reported that the district magistrate has ordered an inquiry and the ‘lekhpal’ involved in the case has been suspended.

The SP leader condemned the incident and said, “The BJP is now moving bulldozers to the martyr monuments.”

“The government has had the audacity to demolish the statue of Kargil martyr Munish Yadav, which was built in Mainpuri in 2000 at the request of the government. This has stirred up silent anger among the soldiers and patriots of the country,” Yadav added in a party statement.

“The BJP leaders can never understand the value of martyrdom of those who sacrificed their lives for the honour of the country because history testifies that those who, instead of supporting the freedom fighters in the independence movement, acted as the eyes and ears of the colonial rulers – how can they know the value of sacrifice?” he said.

Mr. Yadav also said that the BJP’s politics has started with “discrimination even among martyrs” and termed it “the worst form of negative politics.” He added that if the BJP has even a shred of shame left, it should immediately suspend all senior officials from ‘mandal’ to district level and restore the statue-monument with all due respect, failing which the Samajwadi Party will intervene and rebuild the statue.

Dimple Yadav, MP from Mainpuri, wrote in a post on X in Hindi that “martyrs are being insulted for the benefit of the BJP land mafia”.

“…Taking away the respect of those who gave their lives for the country through a government under pressure from bullies shows the callousness of this government,” she added.

Mr Singh, who is also the MP from Mainpuri, told PTI: “The martyr’s statue is safe.”

He further told PTI, “A soldier belonging to the Yadav community was martyred and his memorial was built in a village in Kishni tehsil of Mainpuri district. Around 60-70 metres from the statue, there is a chak road (the road leading to a farm). The brother of the martyr had illegally blocked the road by installing barbed wire.”

“Villagers have been regularly submitting requests to the tehsil office so that the road could be repaired (for public use). Two days ago, the lekhpal had gone there and identified him. The road is still closed and the person (the martyr’s brother) has been asked to remove the barbed wire,” Mr Singh said.

SDM Sharma said, “The allegations of demolition of the boundary wall of the martyrs’ memorial are false.” The district administration had sanctioned land for the martyrs’ memorial in Ghutara village, which was built 50 metres from the Chak road. However, some people built an illegal structure on a portion of the road, blocking access to other farmers, he told PTI.

Following complaints, the revenue officials surveyed the area and removed the illegal construction to restore access. The boundary wall of the monument is still intact, the official added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published via a syndicated feed.)