Dehradun, Oct. 26 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday used the stage at an event in Pithoragarh district to sharpen his attack at Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav over alleged remarks referring to people from Uttarakhand as "infiltrators" in Uttar Pradesh, He also threw jibes at the Congress over its association with the India BLOC ally and demanded that its state unit clarify the party's position on the remarks. "Akhilesh Yadav, the national president of the Samajwadi Party and son of Mulayam Singh Yadav,is a very close friend of Rahul Gandhi. And he has referred to the people of our 'Devbhoomi' (Land of Gods) Uttarakhand, hardworking, valiant people who serve in the armed forces, as 'infiltrators.' This is a deeply shameful and objectionable remark," he said, referencing to remarks allegedly made as part of a byte to a news channel reporter. A clip of the purported remarks has been circulating on social media as well as news channels. HT could not independently verify the clip's authenticity. Echoing a stance earlier expressed on X, Dhami said, "I would like to remind Akhilesh Yadav that Uttarakhand is a land not only of faith but also of valour, sacrifice, and service to the nation. Before using such insulting language toward the people of Uttarakhand, you should have recalled the glorious history of this 'Devbhoomi' and the contributions its citizens have made to the country," he said. "This soil has produced countless brave sons who have dedicated their lives to defending the nation. Labelling the people of such a state as 'infiltrators' is an affront to the self-respect of Uttarakhand and the contributions of its citizens," Dhami added. He accused Yadav of making the remark out of desperation. "Political opposition is one thing, but perhaps because the public is showing you the door elsewhere, you have resorted to such desperate and despondent statements?" Dhami said. Dhami also sought an explanation from the Congress over Yadav's remarks. "Do Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party consider this statement to be correct? If not, why have they not opposed this statement yet?" SP state president Abdul Mateen Siddiqui defended Yadav's remarks, accusing the BJP of distorting them and using an allegedly edited video to fuel divisive politics before elections. Siddiqui said Yadav's remarks should be understood in their constitutional context and accused BJP leaders of reacting to a nine-second edited clip while ignoring the larger statement. He said Yadav was criticising the BJP for allegedly branding poor people and labourers as infiltrators to divert attention from its failures. "If moving from one part of the country to another is considered infiltration, how would the BJP describe people who have migrated from Uttarakhand to Uttar Pradesh?" Siddiqui asked, referring to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who hails from Pauri Garhwal. He said Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to move freely across India, subject to constitutional restrictions. and added that Yadav had not targeted Uttarakhand but questioned the BJP's definition of an infiltrator. Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat described Yadav's remarks as "unfortunate". "Perhaps, while making this comment, he had the image of Shri Yogi Adityanath in his mind. He seems to have forgotten that we were once a single state", said the former CM. "The established principle is that, at the time of a division, one belongs to the place where one happens to reside. Such individuals are respected residents of those places, entitled to full and equal rights," Rawat added. He said the principle applied to both those who remained in Uttarakhand and those who remained in Uttar Pradesh....