Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed concern over police action against industrial workers stranded in Surat (Gujarat) due to lockdown.
He said that the government should learn from these incidents and provide immediate relief to the stranded workers.
The workers, mostly from Odisha, were cane-charged by the police in Surat on Friday after they blocked traffic and indulged in violence, demanding transit to their native places.
Akhilesh said that the SP was abiding by the lockdown to curb coronavirus spread and was also helping the needy.
“As a responsible opposition, the SP is aware of its duties and cannot run away from its responsibility. Team 11 set up by the UP chief minister to monitor corona relief needs to be more sensitive and receptive to grievances of the common people and should adopt a consistent style of working,” he said.
Criticising filing of an FIR against editor of a news website, Akhilesh said that the government should refrain from adopting discriminatory stance towards the media.
The website had published a story questioning the participation by chief minister in an event in Ayodhya for shifting the idol of Ram Lala from the makeshift temple to another temple. Akhilesh alleged that coercive action against the media was a conspiracy against democracy.
The SP chief further said that the his party had always been an advocate of positive and creative criticism.
“Should the government not be asked as to what relief works were being undertaken for farmers, unemployed, women, youth and affected sections? What is the condition of children and elderly who are locked inside their homes due to the lockdown? Is it a crime to speak for the weaker sections of society?” Akhilesh asked.