Launching an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday, 13 April, said both ‘Ali and Bajrang Bali’ were on the alliance’s side.
Addressing a joint rally joint with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at Badaun in UP, she said:
“Ali is ours, so is Bajrang Bali. We want both, especially the latter since he belongs to the Dalit community. Yogi himself said that Bajrang Bali was a forest dweller and a Dalit.”Mayawati, BSP Chief
The Election Commission had earlier sent notices to both Mayawati and Adityanath over their speeches, delivered during political rallies in Deoband on 7 and 9 April respectively, violating the Model Code of Conduct.
A show cause notice was also issued to Adityanath for his "Ali" and "Bajrang Bali" remarks made while addressing a rally in Meerut.
Finding him prima facie guilty of violating the model code of conduct, the commission asked him to respond by Friday evening.
Adityanath had compared the Lok Sabha elections to a contest between 'Ali', a revered figure in Islam, and Bajrang Bali, the Hindu god Hanuman.
"Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko 'Ali' par vishwaas hai toh humein bhi 'Bajrang Bali' par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have faith in Ali, we have faith in Bajrang Bali)," the UP CM had said.
His statement came while referring to BSP chief Mayawati's speech at a rally in Deoband, where she urged Muslims to back the alliance.
(With inputs from PTI)
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