Akhilesh Barred From Going to Allahabad Varsity, Yogi Says Visit May Have Sparked Campus Violence

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was allegedly manhandled and stopped at Lucknow airport on Tuesday from boarding a flight to Prayagraj where he was supposed to attend the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected office-bearers of Allahabad University Students’ Union.

A video has emerged in which it can be seen Yadav is being stopped from boarding the aircraft by some officials.

“I was prevented from boarding the airplane without any written orders. Currently detained at Lucknow Airport. It is clear how frightened the govt is by oath ceremony of a student leader. The BJP knows that youth of the country will not tolerate this injustice anymore,” the SP chief wrote on Twitter.

Sources said the registrar of Allahabad University had earlier written to Yadav’s personal secretary and informed him about not allowing political leaders to participate in the event.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters, "The Samajwadi Party should stop being a disturbing element. There is Kumbh going on in Prayagraj and even Yadav himself went there 10 days ago and took a dip at Sangam and had darshan. It was the Allahabad University administration which asked the government to stop Yadav from coming to Prayagraj as it was suspected that his visit may have sparked violence on the campus between students groups. That is why he has been stopped from going to Prayagraj."

Later, Yadav, issuing a statement, said, "If there was a genuine problem, police there would have objected, or asked for a change in my schedule. I understand the need to ensure the safety of people and property and would never do something to endanger either knowingly. But, to be stopped from speaking, from asking questions that are on everyone’s lips — to be prevented from engaging with the youth is another clear sign of how scared the government is."

Meanwhile, SP leaders started protesting in both the houses of the assembly after the incident.

Speaking to News18, SP MLC Udayveer Yadav said, “The district administration was informed well in advance about the programme and there was no cancellation of the event or any kind of prior notice. The government is scared of Akhilesh Yadav’s appeal among the youth. It shows how frustrated the chief minister and Prime Minister are. The BJP’s countdown has begun.”

SP's new alliance partner and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has also tweeted over the incident.

She wrote, "The incident of stopping former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party Chief from going to Allahabad is symbol of anarchy and dictatorship of the BJP government."

Congress MLC Deepak Singh also slammed the Adityanath government over the incident.

Singh told News18, “The central government is scared the opposition parties might expose their corruption in front of the public. Now they are taking support of police and misusing the CBI and ED. This dictatorship will not last too long.”