Akhilesh Yadav defends Saifai Mahotsav, hits back at critics

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today hit back at critics and defended his government's Saifai Mahotsav saying the budget for the festival was around Rs six to seven crores but never Rs 300 crores as alleged by a section of the media.

Specially critical of a section of the media for running stories against the Mahotsav, the Chief Minister claimed that the daily, which carried that the budget of the festival was Rs 300 crores, had called for an apology.

"It's being said purposely that the budget for Saifai Mahotsav was Rs 300 crores... Those who are making such a claim should apologise or else give the details of the expenditure made for the festival," Akhilesh said at a press conference here.

"The person who has written such a story should be punished... We have a mela committee which keeps the expenditure details... And we should not be forced to launch a struggle," he warned.

Not naming the newspaper, the chief minister hinted that because its owner, a party MP, was denied a Rajya Sabha ticket such a story was carried.

"It's unfortunate that the artistes who have no knowledge about Muzaffarnagar were asked questions about it... You ask me... I am the Chief Minister and ready to answer them," he said.

Talking about the participation of film stars in the Mahotsav, Akhilesh said, "They have come earlier too when SP was not in the power... It's not right to humiliate them (the artists) and ask how did they take part in the programme."

He lamented that though Bollywood superstar Salman Khan visited a hospital and offered help to children there it was not covered by the media.