Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh during his Purvanchal Swabhiman Yatra on Friday alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government was creating administrative hurdles in his month-long yatra which started on December 1. Mr Singh on Friday reached his hometown Azamgarh in east UP during the rally.
Addressing the media, he stated: “The Mayawati government is creating administrative hurdles in the yatra since the day it started from Allahabad to press for the demand of formation of separate Purvanchal state. However, the Lok Manch will complete the yatra, no matter what may come,” added Mr Singh. The month-long yatra will cover about 450 km and will culminate at Gorakhpur.
Meanwhile, Mr Singh also pointed out that he had invited leaders of all parties, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Nitin Gadkari, to press for the cause. “My invitation is still there and any one who wants to support the cause is welcome,” Mr Singh stated, adding that he hopes to get blessings of Mrs Gandhi for the yatra and is ready to even welcome Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, if he wishes to joins it.
Mr Singh, who has been demanding a separate Purvanchal state to be carved out of UP, asked chief minister Mayawati to get a proposal to this effect passed by the state Assembly and send a letter to the Centre for the same. “It is useless to send a letter to the Centre before getting the proposal passed by the Assembly,” he said. Mr Singh also stated when Chhattisgarh with four MPs and Sikkim with one MP can get the status of separate states, why can’t Purvanchal, which has 28 MPs and 147 MLAs, not become a separate state.
Mr Singh also said that he also supports the cause of a separate Bundelkhand state by Raja Bundela.