Etawah (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 10 (IANS) On the third death anniversary of Samajwadi Party founder and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, party chief Akhilesh Yadav vowed to fight for the honour and dignity of the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak).

The entire Yadav family gathered at Mulayam Singh’s Samadhi in Saifai on Friday to pay tributes to the veteran socialist leader who passed away this day in 2022 in a hospital in Gurugram.

Akhilesh Yadav, accompanied by senior leaders and party workers, offered floral tributes and pledged to uphold his father’s ideals.

“We all pay tribute to Netaji on his death anniversary and pledge to follow the path he showed to protect the Constitution,” he said.

“Socialists call the Constitution our Sanjeevani (life-giving elixir), and we must protect it. We, the PDA, are one — and we will fight for its honour and dignity,” he added.

The SP chief said Mulayam Singh’s lifelong struggle was dedicated to the oppressed, backward, exploited, deprived, farmers, poor, labourers, and minorities. “He fought tirelessly to bring them respect. We will continue on his path,” he said further.

He asserted that “soldiers, farmers, Dalits, and minorities together strengthened socialism and secularism”, and pledged to form a “PDA government” that ensures rights and respect for these sections.

Accusing the current government of conspiring to “destroy the Constitution,” Akhilesh Yadav, a former UP Chief Minister, said: “They are hatching one conspiracy after another to end reservations. But we will not allow that to happen. Remembering Netaji today, we pledge to defeat such forces forever.”

Earlier, senior SP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav said: “Netaji gave opportunities to those who didn’t even know the road to Delhi or Lucknow, making them MPs and MLAs. In 2027, we will overthrow the current government.”

Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman said Mulayam Singh’s greatest achievement was founding the Samajwadi Party in 1992.

“As long as poverty, unemployment, and people’s issues remain, the SP movement will remain relevant,” he said.

Among those present at the Saifai event were Shivpal Singh Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, and Dimple Yadav, along with other family members and party workers.

Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid tribute to Mulayam Singh.

“Humble tribute to former Defence Minister, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Padma Vibhushan awardee Mulayam Singh Yadav on his death anniversary,” the CM said in a post on X.

–IANS

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