The Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow, home to a museum honoring the iconic socialist leader, has become the focal point of a political standoff between Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with Akhilesh even asking Nitish Kumar to severe ties with NDA.
The row erupted during Jayaprakash Narayan’s birth anniversary, with SP accusing the BJP of preventing their tribute to the revered leader.
Late Thursday night, entrances to the JPNIC were barricaded with tin sheets, and security was heightened Friday morning with heavy police presence, a day before Mr. Yadav’s planned visit to garland the statue of Narayan inside the complex.
Sharing videos of the barricades outside his residence, Mr. Yadav accused the BJP government of obstructing his tribute. "Whether it is the BJP or their government, every action is a symbol of negativity. Barricades have been put up to prevent us from honoring Jayaprakash Narayanji on his birth anniversary, just like last time," Yadav said.
Responding to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Alok Awasthi defended the government's actions and asserted that the BJP holds great respect for Jayaprakash Narayan, hailing him as a "symbol of simplicity."
However, Awasthi sharply criticized Yadav, questioning his alignment with Narayan’s values.
"Mr. Akhilesh Yadav, do you even possess a single quality of Jai Prakash Narayan? You lead a luxurious life. During your tenure, lawlessness, hooliganism, and corruption were rampant," Awasthi said. He added that Yadav’s actions were contrary to the principles upheld by both Jayaprakash Narayan and socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia.
With his visit to the JPNIC blocked, Mr. Yadav garlanded a bust of Jayaprakash Narayan mounted on a vehicle outside his residence. Photographs of the tribute were widely shared, accompanied by the defiant message: "Socialists are not afraid of dictatorship."
Yadav also made a political appeal to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a former ally of Narayan, calling on him to sever ties with the BJP over the incident. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) party, which is allied with the BJP, plays a significant role in the NDA government.
"What does the government want to hide by blocking the gate with tin sheets?" Yadav questioned late Thursday night. "A museum was built here to honor a great socialist thinker. Why is the government doing this?"
Birth Anniversary Standoff
This marks the second consecutive year that Yadav has been prevented from paying his respects at the JPNIC. In 2022, he famously scaled a wall to garland the statue, a symbolic act he cited as evidence of the government's hostility towards socialists. "Every year on this day, socialists gathered here to honor Jayaprakashji. He never bowed before the government of his time, and we won’t either," Yadav declared.
The JPNIC, inaugurated by Akhilesh Yadav in 2016 during his tenure as Chief Minister, has been mired in controversy since the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. Yadav has repeatedly alleged that construction at the center was deliberately stalled after the BJP's electoral victory and accused the government of planning to sell off the property.
The LDA, responsible for the maintenance of the JPNIC, has stood by its decision to deny Yadav access to the site. In its official statement, the authority reiterated concerns over the ongoing construction and the potential hazards posed by recent heavy rains. The letter also mentioned the heightened security risk posed by Yadav’s Z+ security cover, a status shared only by the Prime Minister.
