In what can only be construed as soliciting help from journalists, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has said that he hoped for support from his friends in the media. He made these comments while addressing a press conference on Monday.
Expressing heartfelt gratitude to his friends in the media, he said, “We wish that we continue receiving help from the press and I hope we will receive even more support once the election dates are declared.”
The former UP Chief Minister also took a jibe at the recent announcement by the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of giving pensions to Hindu sadhus. He said, “Pension should also be provided to artists who play the roles of Ram, Seeta and Lakshaman and even Ravan.” He was addressing the media in the party headquarters when he reacted to the announcement of pension to sadhus.
Akhilesh Yadav has made such remarks in the past as well. In March 2017, he courted controversy after remarking in Hindi that “patrakar sahyog dein, baad me inam milega”, which translates into asking the journalists for their support, for which they would be rewarded in the future.
In 2016, Akhilesh Yadav’s government had announced subsidised housing for journalists in the state after being petitioned by 300 journalists, who were asked to vacate their government housing by the state government.
In September last year, participating in the NDTV Yuva conclave organised by controversial English News Channel NDTV, Yadav said that he regretted not killing a journalist who had criticized him.