AK Sharma Hits Back at Akhilesh Yadav Over Electricity Remarks, Asks Why Farmers Were Not Provided Electricity and Water During His Tenure
‘Until 2017, Two-Thirds of the Population Had Barely Seen Electricity,’ AK Sharma Attacks Akhilesh Yadav
‘There Were 1.80 Crore Electricity Consumers in 2017; Today There Are 3.70 Crore,’ AK Sharma Responds to Akhilesh
AK Sharma Hits Back at Akhilesh’s Remarks on Green and Red Colours, Says ‘Colours Change for Political Interests’
AK Sharma’s Strong Response to Akhilesh on Electricity: ‘You Have No Right to Speak on Electricity’
Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister AK Sharma has strongly responded to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks regarding electricity and farmers. Sharma questioned why farmers were not provided electricity and water when Akhilesh Yadav was in power.
Sharma said that whenever Akhilesh Yadav speaks about electricity, not only he but people across Uttar Pradesh find the remarks difficult to take seriously. He said Akhilesh Yadav has stated that if his party comes to power, all farmers will be provided electricity and water. However, Sharma questioned why the same was not done when the Akhilesh Yadav government was in power.
He said that, in his understanding, Akhilesh Yadav was speaking about his village and Saifai rather than the entire state. Sharma claimed that while Akhilesh was in power, Saifai may have received adequate electricity and water and even free electricity, while the rest of the state struggled with power shortages.
‘Until 2017, Two-Thirds of the Population Had Barely Seen Electricity’
AK Sharma said that until 2017, out of around three lakh villages and hamlets in the state, electrification had been carried out in only a limited number of areas. He claimed that around 1.21 lakh hamlets had been electrified.
According to Sharma, this meant that nearly two-thirds of the state’s population had not had access to electricity. He said that in many places, neither electricity poles nor wires had reached, let alone electricity supply.
‘1.80 Crore Electricity Consumers in 2017; 3.70 Crore Today’
The minister also said that Akhilesh Yadav should take note of the growth in the number of electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh. According to Sharma, until 2017, after around 70 years of Independence, the state had approximately 1.80 crore electricity consumers. Today, he said, the number has increased to 3.70 crore.
He said the number of electricity consumers has increased by nearly two crore. Sharma argued that the geographical area, population and number of households in the state have remained broadly comparable, while the number of electricity consumers has increased substantially.
Sharma further said that Akhilesh Yadav therefore had no right to speak on the issue of electricity. He alleged that the present “double-engine government” is working to address the problems in the power system and the overall administration that, according to him, existed during the Akhilesh Yadav government.
‘They Change Colours for Political Interests’
Responding to Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks concerning the colours green and red, AK Sharma said that Akhilesh Yadav does not have one fixed political colour and alleged that political colours are changed for political interests.
He referred to the red cap, green colour and black waistcoat associated with Akhilesh Yadav and said that these do not represent one single colour. Sharma also commented on the term PDA, alleging that its interpretation changes depending on the audience.
He said that Akhilesh Yadav is neither solely aligned with backward communities nor with Brahmins or any particular colour, and alleged that political interests determine his positioning.
AK Sharma Responds to Advice to Journalists to Study Socialism
AK Sharma also responded to Akhilesh Yadav’s advice to journalists to study socialism.
Sharma said that Akhilesh Yadav had already studied his version of socialism extensively and that journalists should not study the kind of socialism he represents.
Sharma alleged that mistreating the poor and incidents involving harassment and disrespect towards women constituted the kind of “socialism” associated with Akhilesh Yadav. He appealed to journalists and society at large not to study or follow such a version of socialism.
