Akhilesh attacks media for 'blowing things out of proportion'

Lucknow: On a day when CBI concluded that Badaun sisters were not murdered, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav trained his guns on media on Thursday, saying "small mistakes" of the state government are blown out of proportion while good initiatives do not find any mention in the media.

The chief minister also attacked BJP indirectly, saying while the UP government was focussing on development, a 'chalu' (cunning) party was raising issues and debate on "other type" of issues.

A CBI probe into the death of the two teenage cousins, whose bodies were found hanging from a tree in UP's Badaun district in May, concluded that they had committed suicide, debunking allegations that the girls were raped and murdered.

"The reality of Badaun incident is before you (media). You should introspect your role in the democracy. You have insulted and defamed the state government on the issue.

Whether it was deliberate or under some pressure, but the government was defamed," Yadav said.

"Check internet and old newspapers and you will find what was reported about the incident. You (TV channels) might have deleted the recordings but our departments have all the records about what all you said about the government," the chief minister said.

"Our small mistakes are blown out of proportion while good initiatives do not find any mention in the media. Can you tell except UP, which state has distributed over 15 lakh free laptops to students and attempted to end digital divide," asked Yadav.

The chief minister was addressing a programme here to inaugurate 100 urban primary health centres, a website on girl child and drugs procurement and inventory control system.

Referring to the row surrounding birthday of his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's 75th birthday, Yadav asked what was wrong in celebrating the birthday of an elderly person.

"You tell, who among the new generation people do not celebrate their birthday? We celebrate birthdays of young ones. What is wrong when we have celebrated birthday of an elderly person," he said apparently expressing his displeasure.

Yadav also attacked BJP for demanding a curb on slaughter houses.

"We all wear leather shoes and belts. They ask to close slaughter houses. Can you close down leather industry and wear 'khandau' (wooden sleepers). Do you (BJP) have the courage to close down the industry," he said.

Attacking the Centre, Yadav said that six months have passed but the real issues are are not addressed.

"In the first six months the real issues have taken a backseat while jhadu (broom) has appeared. The Prime Minister is visiting foreign countries and TV channels are making people of the country travel there through them," he said.

On the occasion, Yadav highlighted achievements of his government and claimed it was trying to fulfil party's 2012 election manifesto.