Lucknow, Oct 10 — Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav visited the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) late Thursday night, criticizing the Yogi Adityanath-led government for blocking its main gate with tin sheets, allegedly to prevent entry.
October 11 marks the birth anniversary of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan. Last year, Yadav famously climbed the gate of JPNIC in Gomti Nagar to pay tribute by garlanding Narayan’s statue within the premises.
Speaking to reporters outside the Centre, Yadav condemned the move, stating, “This JPNIC is a museum dedicated to socialism, with a statue of Jayaprakash Narayan. It holds significant lessons on socialism. What is the government trying to hide by erecting these tin sheets? Are they planning to sell it or hand it over to someone else?”
In a video shared on social media, Yadav can be seen asking a painter to write “Samajwadi Party Zindabad” on the tin barriers. When asked if he planned to return to pay tribute the following day, Yadav responded, “We will decide the programme tomorrow. How long will they keep it closed behind tin sheds?”
Later, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav criticized the BJP government, calling the closure a symbol of the party’s “closed thinking” during what he termed the “ostentatious Amritkal of freedom.” He accused the BJP of harboring animosity towards freedom fighters like Jayaprakash Narayan, stating, “BJP members did not participate in the freedom struggle, and their guilt prevents them from honoring revolutionaries on their birth anniversaries.”
Earlier in the day, the Samajwadi Party shared a video on social media showing workers erecting tin sheets around the JPNIC gate, condemning the action. “The incompetent BJP government is continuously attacking democracy!” the party wrote on X, labeling the move as part of the BJP’s “dirty politics.”
The party further accused the government of disrespecting prominent figures by halting development projects, such as the JPNIC, which was inaugurated by Akhilesh Yadav in 2016 during his tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Construction on the building, which includes the Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre and a museum, was halted after the BJP took power in 2017.
Traffic restrictions around JPNIC have been announced by Lucknow Police for Friday in anticipation of further events.
