NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for obstructing his visit to the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow on the birth anniversary of the socialist icon.
Yadav accused the state government of deliberately preventing him and his supporters from paying homage to Jayaprakash Narayan by barricading the site with tin sheets.
He said, “The memorial being built in the name of Jaiprakash ji is being suppressed because they want to sell it. A government that wants to sell a museum. Samajwadi people celebrate the anniversary every year, and they will continue to do so. This police will move. When the police leave, we will celebrate the anniversary again.”
Criticising the government further, he said that it was not only “deaf and mute” but also “blind” to the concerns of the people.
Meanwhile, The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) cited security concerns as the reason for barring Yadav’s entry, pointing to ongoing construction at the JPNIC site and potential hazards, including scorpions. In a letter dated October 10, the LDA noted that the site was unsuitable for Yadav’s visit, considering his Z-plus security status.
In response, Yadav questioned the government’s motives and said, “If the government cannot protect people from wolves, why are they so concerned about our safety? They say there are scorpions there. Why are they so worried about us being stung by scorpions? The scorpions are in the government itself.”
“They tried to stop Samajwadi people before, and today, on the day of the Ram Navami festival, look at the kind of unrighteous acts they are committing. BJP claims to celebrate all festivals, but they neither allow us to celebrate nor the press. They don’t even let the policemen celebrate. If it wasn’t for this festival today, I would say there are many Samajwadi people who are running the government, including the CM of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, who came into politics through the same (JP Narayan) movement,” he said.
He further stated, “They tried to stop Samajwadi people before, and today, on the day of the Ram Navami festival, look at the kind of unrighteous acts they are committing. BJP claims to celebrate all festivals, but they neither allow us to celebrate nor the press. They don’t even let the policemen celebrate.
Akhilesh Yadav said that many leaders with Samajwadi roots are currently in positions of power, including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who himself emerged from the Jayaprakash Narayan movement. Yadav urged Kumar to reconsider his support for the government, which he accused of preventing people from honouring JP Narayan on his birth anniversary.
He said, “There are many people, including Samajwadi leaders, who are running the government. Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself emerged through the JP movement. This is a chance for him to reconsider his support for such a government that prevents people from honouring JP Narayan on his birth anniversary. Nitish Kumar, who strengthened the movement by standing alongside JP Narayan, should withdraw his support from this oppressive regime.” (Bohot saare log, Samajwadi logg sarkaar mein hain jo sarkaar ko chala rhe hain. Bihar ke mukhyamantri ji bhi hai samay samay parr, jannanyak Jaiprakash ji unke baare mein, unhi ke andolan se woh nijle hai. Yeh mauka mila hai unhe bhi ke aisi sarkaar jo samjawadiyo ko Jaiprakash jayanti ke din yaad nhi krne de rhi hai, uss sarkaar se samarthan wapis le le. Kyunki Bihar ke Nistish kumar ji isi andolan se nikle hain, JP Narayan ji ke sath reh kar unhone unke andolan ko mazboot banaya hai.)
Yadav rejected the LDA’s explanation, sharing videos of police deployment and barricades near his residence. “Whether it is the BJP people or their government, their every action is a symbol of negativity. To prevent the Samajwadi people from garlanding the statue of JP Narayan Ji on his birth anniversary like last time, barricades have been put up around our private residence to stop them,” he posted on X.
He accused the BJP of obstructing progress in various areas, including “harmony, peace, reservation, farmers’ welfare, women’s safety, youth development, employment generation, and development of PDAs (pichhde, Dalit, alpsankhyak).” Yadav also alleged that the BJP has always been against freedom fighters, stating, “They have learnt from the colonial powers and supported them secretly. Everyone is saying today that they don’t want the BJP.”
Senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav also criticised the government, saying, “The BJP, intoxicated with power, wants to barricade democracy. The system of power can never prevail over the system of the people. Government, learn a lesson from the past! Dictatorship does not last long in a democracy.”
On Thursday night, Akhilesh Yadav visited JPNIC and criticised the BJP government for blocking the main gate with tin sheets. He questioned their intentions, saying, “What is the government hiding by erecting these tin sheds? Is it possible that they are getting ready to sell it or want to give it to someone?”
This incident is not the first of its kind. Last year, Yadav had to climb over the gate of the JPNIC to garland Jayaprakash Narayan’s statue, which was installed by the SP government during his tenure as chief minister. Emphasising the significance of the site, he said, “This JPNIC, the museum of socialists, statue of JP Narayan, and there are things inside on how we can understand socialism.”
The SP leader vowed to continue his efforts, asserting that his party would not be deterred from honouring the legacy of Jayaprakash Narayan despite the government’s actions.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo hit back, accusing Yadav of politicising the issue and “stop playing his dirty politics.” He said, “Jai Prakash Narayan had preached in the last days of his life. Akhilesh Yadav should stop playing his dirty politics.”
