UP Assembly polls: Criminalization was at its peak during Samajwadi Party's govt in UP, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 16 : Ahead of the third phase of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over the issue of women's safety in Uttar Pradesh during his tenure as Chief Minister and said that criminalization was at its peak during the SP government's tenure.
"Akhilesh Yadav was CM earlier, in those days' women and girls were not even stepping out of their houses because of safety concerns. Criminalization was at its peak. If he comes back to the government that means Criminals are coming back in the government," said Sarma.
"BJP government in last five years gave peace, safety, security, and development," he added.
Further reacting over the Hijab ban in Karnataka educational institutions, the BJP leader said, "Whatever discussion is happening right now is driven by political Islam and not religious Islam."
"There should be no controversy around hijab. If one tries to read the Quran Sharif properly, it focuses on education, not hijab. Now, it has become a question, whether education is important or hijab... Muslim's biggest responsibility is education," he added.
Sarma on Wednesday visited Mumbai to confer Assam's highest civilian award "Assam Baibhav" to eminent industrialist and Tata Trust's Chairman Ratan Tata.
"As an industrialist and philanthropist, he has made exceptional contribution towards furthering cancer care in Assam," said the Assam Chief Minister.
The hijab protests in Karnataka began in January this year when some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab.
Following this incident, students of different colleges arrived at Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron stoles. The situation was the same in several colleges in the Udupi district.
The pre-University education board had released a circular stating that students can wear only the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious practices will be allowed in colleges.
The matter is currently in Karnataka High Court.