Lucknow: A political storm is brewing in Uttar Pradesh as Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), takes a stand against barricades erected at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow. The museum, dedicated to the memory of the iconic socialist leader, has become the center of a heated dispute between the SP and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The entrances to the JPNIC were barricaded with tin sheets overnight, prompting Yadav to launch a strong attack on the BJP. Additional police presence reinforced the barricades ahead of plans to garland a statue of JP Narayan on his birth anniversary. Yadav shared videos of the police barriers outside the SP office, expressing his frustration:
“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 Jayaprakash Narayanji on his birth anniversary, like the last time, barricades have been put up around our private residence…”
The controversy escalated late last night when Yadav, who was denied permission to visit the JPNIC due to “construction work and the possibility of many insects due to rain,” criticized the BJP while standing behind the barricades. He questioned the government’s intentions:
“What does the government want to hide by blocking the gate with tin sheets? A museum was built here… we want to pay tribute to a great man… a socialist thinker. Why is the government doing this?”
Yadav further stated, “This government is scared… but can his (JP Narayan’s) ideology be stopped?”
This isn’t the first time Yadav has faced challenges accessing the site. Last year, he famously jumped over a wall to garland the statue of JP Narayan when permission was denied. He emphasized the historical significance of the day, saying, “Every year on this day, socialists used to gather here. They garlanded the statue and expressed their views. This great leader, who gave the slogan of total revolution, did not bow down before the government of the time.”
Inaugurated by Yadav in 2016 during his tenure as Chief Minister, the JPNIC has faced construction delays since the BJP came to power in 2017. Yadav alleged that this is a deliberate attempt to undermine the structure, expressing concerns about plans to sell it off. However, he vowed, “But the programme (to garland the statue) will continue.”
The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), responsible for the maintenance of the JPNIC, denied Yadav permission to visit following a request from his office. They cited safety concerns and noted that Yadav, who has Z+ category security, posed a potential risk to himself in the current situation.
As a precursor to these events, the SP shared a video showing workers placing the tin sheets, condemning the BJP as a “useless government… continuously attacking democracy!” Yadav concluded, “This shows the dirty politics of the BJP. This anti-people government has insulted great men by ruining development work like JPNIC built in Lucknow. Socialists will not bow down…”
