JD(U)'s 'Emergency' reminder after Akhilesh asks Nitish to exit NDA
Senior Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi on Friday advised Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to snap ties with the Congress. Tyagi's comments came after Yadav was prevented by the Uttar Pradesh Police from visiting the memorial of Jai Prakash Narayan on his 122nd birth anniversary. "The movement led by Jai Prakash Narayan was against the 'dictatorship' of the Congress," he said, according to ABP News.
Tyagi reminds Yadav of Emergency-era oppression
Tyagi also reminded Yadav that both his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar were jailed during the Emergency. "Emergency was imposed on June 25 (1975). There was no freedom of expression," he said. "He should end his partnership with a party that curtailed people's freedom and violated all democratic norms," Tyagi added. The prime minister who imposed the Emergency was Indira Gandhi, the grandmother of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, the current Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Yadav criticizes BJP government over Narayan's memorial
Earlier, Yadav had appealed to Kumar to withdraw his support from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, alleging an insult to socialist leader Narayan on his birth anniversary. He slammed the BJP government, saying it was hiding something which is why he was stopped from visiting Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC). "It is a conspiracy to sell the world-class building," he added.
Yadav accuses Adityanath of undermining Narayan's contributions
Yadav also accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of not understanding the contributions of Narayan, who led the agitation against then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s. He said if there were security concerns at JPNIC, the administration could have provided protection instead of stopping him from visiting. The Lucknow Development Authority had cited ongoing construction and danger from seasonal insects as reasons for advising Yadav against visiting JPNIC.
BJP leader accuses Yadav of political stunts
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shazia Ilmi accused Yadav of doing political stunts. She suggested if Yadav really wanted to pay respect to Narayan, he should break his alliance with those parties against which Narayan had protested during the Emergency. "He also knows that there is work going on and there are other ways to pay respect," she added.
