Azamgarh (UP), May 17 (PTI) The BJP and its associates are raising the Gyanvapi mosque issue as they want to divert people's attention from real issues, alleged Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday.

Gyanvapi is an old mosque and to divert attention from core issues, the BJP's "invisible associates" come out time to time and sow seeds of hatred, Yadav said.

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"As far as the court is concerned, the SC had earlier ruled that such old matters cannot be raised. Even after this, the BJP is spreading hatred between Hindus and Muslims so that core issues are not discussed," Yadav told reporters here.

Attacking Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav said bulldozers are running in the state but a hospital inaugurated by him was "illegal".

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Yadav said this apparently referring to drives against encroachments. The CM had inaugurated a private hospital in Nirala Nagar on Monday.

When asked whether his wife Dimple Yadav will contest polls from Azamgarh, the Lok Sabha seat vacated by him to continues as an MLA in the state, Yadav said,"It will be decided in a meeting with party leaders and workers."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)