’BJP will celebrate Godse...’: Akhilesh Yadav ’denied’ entry to JP Narayan’s Lucknow centre, triggers political row

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who was allegedly denied entry into the JP International Centre in Lucknow, garlanded a bust of Jayaprakash Narayan mounted atop a vehicle outside his residence on Friday. The incident took place in the wake of the freedom fighter's birth anniversary.

The SP chief took to social media to share pictures of him garlanding the bust as he was surrounded by a huge crowd on the streets of Lucknow.

Yadav captioned the photos as, “Tributes to great freedom fighter Loknayak Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary. We won't stop, we won't be afraid. They will suppress us, we will bow down. Long live Samajwadi Party!”

What is JP Narayan statue row?

In his earlier posts on X, Yadav alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government prevented “Samajwadi people” or socialists from garlanding the statue of "Jai Prakash Narayan Ji" on his birth anniversary."

He alleged that barricades were put up near his house as authorities blocked his visit to the JP International Centre in Lucknow, citing security concerns.

Hundreds of SP workers also assembled outside Yadav's residence as ambiguity remained over Yadav's scheduled visit to the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC).

At around 10.30 am, a bust of Narayan, mounted on a vehicle, was garlanded by Yadav on the road packed with SP workers.

What we know so far

1. Samajwadi Party leader ST Hasan hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying it looked looked like they would celebrate Godse's birth anniversary and not of freedom fighters.

"Every Indian is proud of him and SP has the right to celebrate his birth anniversary. I can't understand why they don't want to let us celebrate his birth anniversary. Looks like they will celebrate Godse's birth anniversary and not of freedom fighters. We are ashamed of this govt and their conduct. We condemned how Akhilesh Yadav is being stopped," Hasan was quoted by ANI as saying.

2. SP national general secretary Professor Ram Gopal Yadav called upon Samajwadi Party workers and leaders on Friday to block the roads from Akhilesh Yadav's residence in Lucknow to Jaiprakash Narayan Convention Center.

3. Akhilesh Yadav triggered a controversy by urging Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to withdraw his party's support from the BJP-led central government on this matter. He said, "Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emerged from his (Jai Prakash Narayan) movement. This is a chance for Nitish Kumar to withdraw support from the government which is not allowing the Socialist to pay tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary."

4. JD(U) national spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad called Yadav's remarks "bizzare". He was quoted by PTI as saying, "It is a bizarre remark from Akhilesh Yadav who does politics in the name of JP (Jayaprakash Narayan), but never cares for the principles of the late leader who fought against dynasty rule all his life".

Prasad also slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for endorsing Yadav's statement and pointed out "it is the Congress which had caused untold miseries to JP and his followers".

5. Meanwhile, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi said that Yadav should break his alliance with parties that Jai Prakash Narayan spoke against if he wants to give a tribute.

"If he really wants to give an honest tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan, then he should break his alliance with the parties against which Jai Prakash raised his voice during the Emergency and went to jail. He should stop his drama. Even he is aware that there are other ways to pay respect. Akhilesh Yadav should refrain from such political stunts. He should remember that it was Vajpayee's government who awarded Jai Prakash Narayan...," Ilmi was quoted as saying.