Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Thursday strongly criticised the Samajwadi Party after one of its legislators likened the BJP to "terrorists." This statement followed a government directive for shops along the Kanwar Yatra routes to display their names, reported news agency ANI.

Defending the move, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told ANI, "The Samajwadi Party leaders are constantly making rubbish statements on Kanwar Yatra. They are comparing Kanwar Yatra devotees with terrorists. It is highly condemnable. Samajwadi Party wants to implement Sharia law and pursue appeasement politics in UP. We are determined to organise a systematic and safe Kanwar Yatra in UP. It is the right of every buyer to know from whom they are purchasing items. It is the duty of every seller to display their name."

The Deputy Chief Minister's remarks were in response to Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra, who termed the identity-related regulations "inappropriate," according to ANI.