Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 4 (ANI): Samajwadi Party leaders hit back at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday, amid the row over the government's directive to display the names of the shops along the Kanwar yatra routes.

Dy CM Pathak had alleged that SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra compared Kanwar pilgrims to terrorists, to which Mehrotra replied that the Dy CM was lying.

'UP Deputy Chief Minister lies. Nowhere did we say anything about Kanwar Yatris but about the BJP government,' he told ANI.

He added, 'He (Brajesh Pathak) is also the Health Minister, but he never speaks about medicines, treatment and check-ups in hospitals. Today, people are dying due to a lack of medicines, treatment and check-ups.'

Launching an attack against the BJP government, Mehrotra reiterated his remark 'no difference between the BJP government and terrorists' and said how terrorists in Pahalgam asked people about their religion before shooting them; similarly, the BJP government is also asking about the shopkeepers' religion and caste.

'There's no difference between the BJP government and terrorists. Like how in Pahalgam, terrorists asked about religion and killed 26 people, similarly, by asking about caste and religion, the BJP is attacking, committing atrocities and injustice,' Mehrotra said.

MLA Mehrotra added, 'I want to ask BJP members, what is terrorism? If someone is checked after removing their pants, this is also terrorism. If a Dalit is urinated in their mouth, this is also terrorism. Atrocities against Dalits, women, and if the backwards class is not allowed to put up a shop and asked about their religion, this is also terrorism.'

He alleged that BJP workers are conducting checks on the Kanwar Yatra route, and they forced a shopkeeper to remove his pants.

'If Kanwar Yatris ask a shopkeeper, I don't object. But the BJP govt issued a Tughlaqi order to put up a name plate, the shopkeeper's caste and then, if the administration and police check, it's still fine, but their party members are conducting checks, and police arrested five people in Muzaffarnagar who were committing acts of terror,' he said.

Samajwadi Party leader Awadhesh Prasad called Pathak's statement baseless.

Prasad said, 'Dy CM's statement is baseless and shows his narrow mindset. CM Yogi has issued an order to display nameplates. This will divide the society. Such a decision was never issued when we were in power. This is everyone's nation. Everyone fought for the nation's independence together.'

Earlier, defending the move, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, told ANI, 'The Samajwadi Party leaders are constantly making rubbish statements on Kanwar Yatra. They are comparing Kanwar Yatra devotees with the terrorists. It is highly condemnable. Samajwadi Party wants to implement Sharia law and do appeasement politics in UP. We are determined to organise a systematic and safe Kanwar Yatra in UP. It is the right of every buyer to know from whom they are buying things. Every seller must display their name.' (ANI)