Fact Check: Akhilesh Yadav has not promised special benefits for Muslims ahead of UP polls

According to the post, Akhilesh Yadav has said that around 2,000 mosques will be built in western Uttar Pradesh and Purvanchal, Rs. 1,000 crore will be given for Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, and Ayodhya's name will be changed. The post also claims that Yadav has promised to reduce reservation for Dalits and backward classes and increase reservation for Muslims to 30%.

Click here to view the posts on Facebook.

Fact Check

NewsMeter searched online for reports that supported the claim but found none. Instead, we found reports on Samajwadi Party trying to get rid of its image of being a pro-Muslim party.

According to The Economic Times, the party is "actively posturing to associate itself with the Hindu religion and rid of the perception of working only for the Muslim community, ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections."

It said, "The party has come under fire multiple times in the last few years from BJP leaders for having allegedly led attacks on the kar sewaks in Ayodhya, signalling the party to be "anti-Hindus"."

The Samajwadi Party has promised free electricity up to 300 units and free laptops for youths in its election manifesto but nothing specifically was mentioned just for Muslims.

Further, Samajwadi Party's fact-checking team has refuted the viral claim and tweeted, "Rumors are being spread about Samajwadi Party by BJP and its troll army through Facebook/Twitter/WhatsApp by making various fake screenshots which are completely wrong. Strict action will be taken against all those spreading rumors if the SP government is formed."

Clearly, the viral post is fake. Akhilesh Yadav has not promised multiple benefits to Muslims ahead of the UP polls.