CM continues to take digs at Modi drive

Lucknow: Five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated him as one of the ‘navaratnas’ for Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav broke his silence on Wednesday. Taking a swipe at the campaign, he compared it with ‘ice bucket challenge’ and said such things are done to divert attention from real issues of the people.
“While world over people are taking participating in challenge to bathe in ice water, in India a simple cleanliness drive has been converted into a broom challenge,” he said in a lighter vein, while talking to reporters at the Waqf Conference organised by Sunni Waqf Board.“We have the prime minister, home minister and defence minister participating in the campaign. They have hyped it in such a way, one is left with little choice,” he said, apparently referring to his nomination for the campaign.
The nomination had left Akhilesh in a catch 22 situation as he could not neither reject it since the campaign is for a cause, nor he could praise it because it was a rival party’s idea. “They are cunning people and we will have to use ‘buddhi daav’ (mind games),” he added. However, on a serious note, he assured full co-operation from state government for any initiative aimed at the well being of the people.
Minority affairs and urban development minister Mohammad Azam Khan said innocent Muslims felt “harassed” and that they were “unlucky” being “marginalised” in their own country. In an apparent dig at the Narendra Modi government, Khan said, “The country should be in the hands of those whose goodwill and intentions have been proved.” Khan said a tribunal is being constituted to resolve the disputes related to waqf properties.
‘Make schools on waqf properties’
The meeting of caretakers suggested that the need of the hour is to establish educational and medical institutions on waqf properties. They also felt the need for setting up a separate board of education for schools running on waqf property on the lines of CBSE. In this regard, it was decided that a concrete proposal will be prepared for execution. Addressing caretakers of various waqf properties, the chief minister assured them of finding a way to help the waqf board fight and overcome its financial crisis soon. He also praised setting up of Jauhar University in Rampur by minority affairs and urban development minister Mohammad Azam Khan. He also assured to look into the demands of rent of waqf properties, lack of manpower at the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and other issues. During the event, chief minister was presented a memento by the wife of martyr late Abdul Hameed.