Latest news with #Akhilesh
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Etawah Kathavachak case: PDA stands with every victim, assures Akhilesh
In an oblique reference to the Etawah protest on Friday, but without naming an incident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of bringing people from neighbouring states and misusing the 'surname' of their own planted people to create a divide in society. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav (HT File Photo) The SP chief also claimed that the entire PDA society was standing with every victim of the 'Etawah Kathavachak PDA Insult Case'. Speaking to the media at a private function in Lucknow on Friday, the SP chief said, 'Each and every child knows the truth of the 'Ghuspaithia (infiltrator) politics' that BJP is doing in the state by bringing people from neighbouring states and misusing the surname of its own 'planted people'. People of UP will not be divided by the mistakes of some negative people, but will become even stronger.' Taking a dig at UP and central governments, the SP chief said, 'Today is there not even one BJP member in UP on whom the people of Delhi can trust? Perhaps this is the case, that is why they are bringing people from outside and hatching a new conspiracy. The truth is that this is a challenge for the people of Lucknow that people are repeatedly coming in from across the border of UP to destabilise UP and are going back comfortably after disturbing the peace of the state. Will the BJP government of UP now open the borders of its state for any anarchist element? If this is so, then the BJP government of UP should openly declare it or send its police to arrest those anarchist elements.' 'If this does not happen, then tomorrow more such people will come and defy the BJP government of UP and the people of UP will accept that the BJP government has become an ineffective government in UP, it has neither any leadership nor any commitment to the law and order of UP or even peace,' said Akhilesh. Speaking on the Etawah incident, he said, 'A few dominant people did not even spare the artiste. By snatching his dholak and accusing him, such negative people have lost the sympathy of their own society. The true worshippers of our country's culture are always kind and full of compassion, those who do this are un-Indian and inhuman people who are rejected on human standards. Today the entire PDA society is raising its voice with every victim of the 'Etawah Kathavachan PDA Insult Case'. 'PDA' is a new echo of the new drum against oppression.' 'PDA is a collective, social, community declaration of new consciousness and unity among the traditionally neglected and oppressed people who have suffered the triple curse of 'pain, sorrow and humiliation'. PDA is not a call for revenge but for change in thinking. PDA is a determined declaration of positive-progressive 'rule of social justice' that removes inequality and ensures equality, parity, dignity and prestige,' said the SP chief.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Etawah Tonsuring Row: Stone Pelting On Cops, 19 Detained; Akhilesh Blames BJP For Tensions
Last Updated: Bhagwat Katha preachers alleged that they were asked about their caste and humiliated allegedly by men belonging to "upper caste" in UP's Etawah. Tensions escalated in Dandarpur village of Uttar Pradesh's Etawah after members of the Yadav groups on Thursday protested against the alleged caste-based tonsuring of a Bhagwat Katha preacher and his aide, demanding the arrest of all accused. The police said that the large crowds gathered near the Agra-Kanpur highway and at the village in the Bakewar area. Unidentified individuals pelted stones at police personnel despite the cops brandishing firearms in the air to warn the protesters. The incident that triggered protests took place on the night of June 22-23 in the village, where two Bhagwat Katha preachers, Mukut Mani Yadav and his aide Sant Singh Yadav, were allegedly tonsured and insulted by people belonging to 'upper-caste" after they found that the preachers were from the Yadav caste. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday slammed the BJP over the incident, describing it as a larger conspiracy to divide the state along caste lines by bringing in 'planted elements" from neighbouring states. 'The BJP is deploying its 'planted people' with strategic surnames from neighbouring states to carry out its infiltrative politics and disturb social harmony in Uttar Pradesh. But the people of Uttar Pradesh are aware of the truth. Society here will not be divided by the actions of a few negative elements -� it will emerge even stronger," Akhilesh said on X. UP Minister Jaiveer Singh accused Akhilesh of giving the incident a 'casteist spin" and blamed him for stoking violence. According to Etawah Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, as the police received information about protests by the groups, they had deployed forces in the town, on the highway and in the village to ensure law and order. 'Around 1:30 pm, a sizeable crowd started gathering on the Agra-Kanpur highway. While most were convinced to disperse, a few tried to enter Dandarpur village forcibly, which created a situation that could have disrupted peace," he said. The SSP said that 19 people were detained and 13 vehicles were seized, adding that the situation is now normal. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people from Yadav groups went to the Bakewar police station to surround it in protest. They were angry about the police allegedly acting against the victims instead of the accused and were demanding the arrest of those responsible. SP (Rural) Sreesh Chandra told reporters that police tried to stop the crowd, but an argument broke out. When the protesters kept moving forward, the police used lathis (sticks) to push them back. In response, some people in the crowd threw stones at the police, and a police jeep's windshield was damaged. Some protesters then ran towards the Agra-Kanpur highway. इटावा के बकेवर इलाके के दान्दरपुर गांव में भागवत कथा के दौरान कथावाचक और उनके सहायकों की जाति पूछने पर पीडीए की एक जाति बताने पर, कुछ वर्चस्ववादी और प्रभुत्ववादी लोगों ने साथ अभद्र व्यवहार करते हुए उनके बाल कटवाए, नाक रगड़वाई और इलाके की शुद्धि कराई।हमारा संविधान जातिगत भेदभाव… — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) June 23, 2025 Akhilesh Yadav had shared a video of the alleged incident with the preachers, in which the accused purportedly said, 'You are getting punished for coming to the village of Brahmins." The victims alleged that they were first asked about their caste and forced to show identification, and then humiliated. 'I was tortured all night. My head was shaved, and they sprinkled urine on me, saying it was to purify me," Sant Singh Yadav said. After the video surfaced online, the police arrested four accused identified as Ashish Tiwari, Uttam Kumar Awasthi, Nikki Awasthi, and Manu Dubey. Location : Etawah, India, India First Published: June 27, 2025, 18:48 IST News politics Etawah Tonsuring Row: Stone Pelting On Cops, 19 Detained; Akhilesh Blames BJP For Tensions
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Samajwadi Party to celebrate July 26 as Aarakshan Divas, Samvidhan Maan Divas
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Thursday, announced that the party will celebrate July 26 as Aarakshan Divas (Reservation Day) and Samvidhan Maan Divas (Constitution Respect Day). The SP chief slammed the BJP for being against socialism and secularism. Addressing the media, Akhilesh Yadav said, 'In the coming times, it has been decided to celebrate Reservation Day and Constitution Respect Day on 26th July.' Launching an attack against the BJP, he said that they lack loyalty towards the Constitution and are against the ideas of socialism and secularism. 'BJP talks about using the Constitution to reach power... but as soon as BJP comes to power, they do not follow the path of Baba Saheb, and they even take oath, but their oath-taking ceremony shows a lack of loyalty towards the Constitution. These people who are against socialism are also against secularism,' Akhilesh said. 'There has been a very old conflict between the individual and society in our society for a long time. This is a fight of 'I vs We'. Those who say I can never accept it are busy fulfilling their selfish interests. They have nothing to do with society. These are selfish people,' he added. Akhilesh said, 'Whether in the Parliament or outside, we hear that these people express similar views, and they are against socialism. Such people are basically communal and are staunch opponents of secularism. To be socialist and secular, one needs a big heart; that is why Heartless people oppose it. They oppose social harmony, and hence these people are also against PDA.' Lauding the Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA), he said that the alliance stood for positive politics. 'People with such individualistic thinking are intellectuals and hegemons, and they always oppress and suppress people in society to maintain their dominance. PDA has positive politics, so these negative, hegemonic people can never accept it. This PDA connects good people from all societies,' he said. 'Those who are against the constitution are also against reservation and indirectly speak against seculars and socialists because they feel that if they speak directly against the constitution and reservation, their vote bank will slip away. NDA is the slogan of negative people and PDA is the slogan of positive people,' he told reporters. On a case filed against a 'kathavachak' (storyteller) in Etawah, Akhilesh said, 'BJP people can lie in Maha Kumbh, can hide figures, those people can lie to Shankaracharya.' He added that if US President Donald Trump came to know about the case against the 'kathavachak', he would scold the Indian leaders in the Centre. 'You are talking about becoming Vishwaguru, but people are being made fun of, that is why these people get scolded by Trump, and just think if Trump comes to know about the Etawah incident, what will he do?' he asked. Speaking about the video call with Tej Pratap Yadav, he said that he has good relations with him and his family. 'I did not know that the matter would become so serious. We have good relations with him and his family. We redialed his call, and it was a video call. It is natural for us, political people, to ask questions about contesting elections. BJP people are losing very badly in Bihar,' he said. (ANI)
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP govt unjust, undemocratic in treatment of marginalised:
Lucknow: Condemning the tonsuring of a 'katha vachak' and his associate allegedly by a group of upper caste men in Etawah, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said that the state govt is "unjust, heartless and undemocratic in its treatment of the marginalized". Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters, Akhilesh demanded that the govt should take strict action against those involved in the incident. Akhilesh also met the 'katha vachak' and his associate and gave them shawls and Rs 21,000 each. "Some people in the state think it is their govt and are acting with impunity. The govt has not tried to send a message that if someone commits such an incident, there will be consequences. All this is happening under the protection of the govt," he said. You Can Also Check: Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow Akhilesh alleged that the BJP was allowing such incidents to happen as it want to gain political favour. "If people in the govt ensure justice, such incidents will not happen. But what is this attitude of the govt? It is heartless, undemocratic and supports every unconstitutional work," he said. Akhilesh said that poor would start getting justice if the govt upheld the Constitution and its preamble. "People in the govt are being unjust. They are dominant and supremacist and are intimidating and humiliating the people from PDA community," he said. "Dominant groups think that the BJP govt is for those who have wielded power for centuries. However, PDA will unite against such forces and give a befitting reply to them. The PDA community is being oppressed by only 2,500 people in the govt," he said. He said that Bhagwat Katha was for everyone, and if everyone could listen, why couldn't everyone speak. "Bhagwat Katha is related to Lord Krishna. If true devotees of Krishna are stopped from Bhagwat Katha, why would anyone tolerate this insult? Supremacist people want to maintain their monopoly over Bhagwat Katha and have turned it into a business," he said. "If you want to have a monopoly – you claim from time to time that you have abolished Article 370 – then bring a law in the country that only you are allowed to be 'katha vachak', and that PDA community is not allowed," he said. Meanwhile, in a post on X, the SP chief said the Constitution did not allow caste discrimination. "This is a crime against the fundamental right to live with dignity and respect," he said.
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
BJP govt conspiring against minority institutions: Akhilesh
Lashing out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that it was conspiring to dismantle all minority institutions and target both Muslims and Christian organisations. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also alleged corruption in government departments. (HT FIle) Addressing a press conference at the SP headquarters in Lucknow on Friday, Akhilesh said: 'The BJP follows the British policy of divide and rule. Madrasas are being shut down, land records are being scrutinised, and bulldozers are being used on madrasa properties. The BJP is not just targeting Muslims, but is now trying to enter Christian institutions too. Lakhs of posts are vacant across departments, including two lakh in the education department. Yet the government boasts of a trillion-dollar economy and a developed India. Does this happen in a developed country?' On the inauguration of Gorakhpur Link Expressway by chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday, Akhilesh said, 'The trillion-dollar budget is not being spent on education, health and welfare for the poor, but on the highway of loot.' 'The 91-kilometre expressway has been built at a cost of more than ₹ 7,000 crore. It is not an expressway, but a four-lane highway. If you want to know the difference, pick up a book and see what the Indian Road Congress (IRC) says. Is this expressway built as per IRC standards? Will the government take action against those who flouted the norms?' asked Akhilesh. On the recent issue of alleged anomalies in transfers, Akhilesh said, 'There is a dispute as officers and ministers want to work as per their own free will. A deputy CM has complained that the officer of his department did not show him the list of transfers.' The SP chief alleged corruption in departments such as education, PWD, and urban development. 'There is a fixed rate for transfers. Despite Smart City funds from both Delhi and Lucknow, cities like Mathura, Agra and Unnao are struggling with clogged drains. The level of corruption in U.P. today is unprecedented,' he alleged. Akhilesh further alleged that the BJP was against PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) and reservation. 'The rules of reservation are not being followed in recruitments. We all have to come together and protect reservation and the Constitution given by Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. PDA is our emotional slogan and it connects people,' the SP chief said.
