Rivers are secular, not associated with any religion: Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: In a veiled attack on BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said "some people" are associating rivers with religion, but the water bodies are "secular" as they pass through people of all caste and religion without any discrimination.

"Some people are associating rivers with religion, but I can say whether it is Ganga or Yamuna, Chambal or any other river, they are secular and socialist because they pass through people of all caste and religions. They do not discriminate anywhere," Akhilesh said at the concluding session of the three-day national convention of Samajwadi Party here.

He said all rivers will not be cleaned by only cleaning the Ganga.

"Cleaning only one river or Ganga will not clean all rivers. All rivers have to be made clean. Yamuna is polluted most by Delhi," he said.

In an indirect reference to Swachh Bharat campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, Akhilesh said people were not following or working on their poll manifesto.

"Will anyone tell me was sanitation drive or brooming exercise in anyone's manifesto," he said.

"This is not the first time that a cleanliness drive has been launched in Delhi. If you go through the history, you will know how many political people have done so in the past," he said.

"But publicising only one river and leaving others will not clean all rivers. They are not following the manifesto through which they came to power. Their manifesto is of publicity, whereas our manifesto is based on reality," he said.

Attacking the Narendra Modi-led Central government, Akhilesh alleged that while promoting investment in the country, the Centre was also "promoting a hidden agenda".

"We have to fight against capitalists and communal forces," he said.

Akhilesh, who is also the state president of Samajwadi Party, said the party had been struggling for the cause of the poor, farmers, youths and minorities for the last 22 years.

The CM said during this period the party made efforts to set its organisation in other states and achieved some success, but it is yet to gain strength like UP.