Akhilesh Yadav calls UP infiltrators from Uttarakhand; CM Dhami hits back
Synopsis
Akhilesh Yadav's claim that 'most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand' has blown into a full-scale interstate political row. CM Dhami didn't just push back — he reached back three decades to the Rampur Tiraha firing under Mulayam Singh Yadav's government, making this as much about dynastic legacy as current rhetoric, and drawing Congress into the crossfire.
Key Takeaways
Akhilesh Yadav claimed 'most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand' while responding to BJP allegations in Lucknow .
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami called the remark an insult to Uttarakhand's identity and sacrifices, responding via a post on X .
Dhami invoked the 1994 Rampur Tiraha incident , when agitators demanding a separate Uttarakhand state were fired upon under Mulayam Singh Yadav's tenure as UP Chief Minister.
Dhami also challenged Congress — SP's alliance partner — to clarify whether it endorsed Yadav's statement.
Congress had not publicly responded to the remarks at the time of reporting.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav sparked a political firestorm on Friday after claiming that 'most infiltrators in Uttar Pradesh are from Uttarakhand,' prompting a sharp rebuttal from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who accused the Kannauj MP of insulting the Himalayan state's identity and invoked the 1994 Rampur Tiraha incident to intensify the political attack.
What Akhilesh Yadav Said
The controversy erupted when Yadav was asked at a Lucknow press interaction to respond to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegations that the Opposition was shielding infiltrators' votes by raising questions about the Election Commission of India (ECI). Turning the charge back on the ruling party, Yadav said, 'The people who are saying this themselves are infiltrators... Most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand. One has to define infiltrators... The term infiltrators will not weaken the Hindustaniyat. They are making efforts to end Hindustaniyat. They have made a mockery of faith and devotion...'
The remarks were widely interpreted as a pointed jibe at the BJP's Uttarakhand leadership and its criticism of the Opposition over the infiltrator issue, though critics argued the framing risked painting an entire state's populace with a broad brush.
CM Dhami's Strong Rebuttal
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami responded swiftly, posting on X to defend Uttarakhand and frame Yadav's words as an affront to the state's heritage. 'Uttarakhand is both the Devbhoomi and Veerbhoomi. This sacred soil has given the nation numerous sants, soldiers, and individuals devoted to national service. Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji, calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators, is an insult to the pride of the Devbhoomi and to our struggles,' Dhami said.
The Uttarakhand Chief Minister also invoked the Rampur Tiraha incident of 1994, when activists agitating for a separate Uttarakhand state were fired upon in Muzaffarnagar during the tenure of then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav — Akhilesh's father. 'Bullets were fired at Uttarakhand's agitators during the father's regime, and today the son is calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators! The people of Uttarakhand can never forget their struggles and sacrifices,' Dhami said.
Congress Drawn Into the Row
Dhami also sought to widen the political fallout by drawing Congress — the SP's alliance partner — into the controversy. 'Does the Congress support this statement from its political ally, Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji? Is calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators acceptable to the Congress? The Congress must answer the people of this Devbhoomi,' he said. Congress has not publicly responded to the remarks as of the time of reporting.
Historical Context: The Rampur Tiraha Incident
The Rampur Tiraha firing of 1994 remains one of the most emotionally charged episodes in the Uttarakhand statehood movement. Unarmed demonstrators demanding a separate hill state were allegedly fired upon by police in Muzaffarnagar, resulting in deaths and injuries. The episode is widely cited as a catalyst that accelerated the push for Uttarakhand's creation, which was eventually realised in 2000. By invoking it now, Dhami is connecting a fresh political controversy to a decades-old wound that still resonates deeply in the state.
What Comes Next
The row is likely to reverberate in both states, where elections and local political dynamics make the 'infiltrator' narrative particularly combustible. SP has not issued an official clarification of Yadav's remarks. Political observers note this is a pattern of escalating verbal exchanges between SP and BJP-led state governments ahead of electoral cycles, with each side seeking to frame the other as hostile to specific communities or regions.
Point of View
But the framing handed Dhami exactly the ammunition he needed — a ready-made grievance connecting SP's present leadership to its most painful historical act in Uttarakhand. Invoking Rampur Tiraha is not a throwaway gesture; it taps into a founding wound of Uttarakhand's identity that the BJP has long sought to weaponise against the Yadav political legacy. By pulling Congress into the crossfire, Dhami is also testing whether the INDIA bloc alliance can absorb the friction. The episode is a reminder that in Indian politics, loose rhetoric in a press scrum rarely stays local — it can instantly redraw regional fault lines.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about infiltrators from Uttarakhand?
Akhilesh Yadav said 'most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand' while responding to BJP allegations that the Opposition was protecting infiltrators' votes by questioning the Election Commission. He also said 'the people who are saying this themselves are infiltrators,' appearing to direct the charge back at the BJP.
How did Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami respond?
CM Dhami posted on X calling the remark an insult to Uttarakhand's pride and heritage, describing the state as 'Devbhoomi and Veerbhoomi.' He also invoked the 1994 Rampur Tiraha incident — when Uttarakhand statehood activists were fired upon under Mulayam Singh Yadav's UP government — to cast the Yadav family as historically hostile to Uttarakhand.
What is the Rampur Tiraha incident of 1994?
The Rampur Tiraha incident occurred in 1994 in Muzaffarnagar, when activists demanding a separate Uttarakhand state were fired upon by police during the tenure of then UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. It remains a deeply sensitive moment in Uttarakhand's statehood history and a frequent reference point in UP-Uttarakhand political disputes.
Why did CM Dhami bring Congress into the controversy?
Dhami questioned whether Congress — a political ally of the Samajwadi Party — endorsed Yadav's remarks, asking 'Is calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators acceptable to the Congress?' The move is seen as an attempt to widen the political fallout and force a wedge between the SP-Congress alliance.
Has the Samajwadi Party clarified Akhilesh Yadav's remarks?
As of the time of reporting, the Samajwadi Party had not issued an official clarification of Yadav's remarks. Congress, too, had not publicly responded to Dhami's challenge to distance itself from the statement.
