Lucknow: Taking a swipe at BJP chief Amit Shah's plan to have a meal with a Dalit family in Varanasi, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday charged it was being done with an eye on the UP Assembly polls and said the Samajwadi Party does not see people on the basis of caste.
The Chief Minister said his party aims to reach out to people only on the basis of its work. "In Uttar Pradesh, such things were done in the past too. Elections are near and these are done to give a message. Some will take a dip (in river) also.
Read: Amit Shah to have meal with Dalit family in run-up to UP elections
"I also had lunch with labourers recently but did not discriminate on the basis of caste. If you all have pictures, go and find out the caste of the labourer who sat next to me," Akhilesh told reporters.
"I thank media for showing photos of poor people drinking mineral water and having mutton and chicken when I had lunch with them," he said referring to his recent lunch with labourers at the construction site of the new secretariat building in Lucknow.
"We don't see things on the basis of caste and creed. One should reach out to people on the basis of work and achievements," the Chief Minister said.
Shah is scheduled on Tuesday to have a meal with Girjaprasad Bind and Ikbal Bind's family, who belong to the Dalit community, in Jogiyapur village in Sevapuri Assembly segment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi.
On banning liquor in the state, Akhilesh said, "I will urge people not to drink. It's a big issue for Uttar Pradesh and will have to be thoroughly considered before any decision is taken. I want that none should drink."
