Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, citing recent controversial events to claim that goondaism and anarchy have reached their peak under the current administration.
Allegations of State-Sponsored Lawlessness
In a strongly-worded official statement, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh accused the BJP regime of granting complete freedom to goondas and mafias. He alleged that the government is actively patronizing anti-social elements, who now wield significant influence over the police and administrative machinery due to the protection they receive.
"BJP goons are openly harassing the common people and humiliating tourists. Such people have left a blot on the image of the state of UP," Yadav asserted. He further claimed that the government's much-publicized policy of zero tolerance towards crime and criminals has proven hollow.
Incidents That Sparked the Outcry
Yadav's remarks were an apparent reference to two specific incidents that recently caused public outrage and went viral on social media platforms.
The first involved members of a right-wing organization, the Hindu Raksha Dal, who were seen in a viral video distributing swords to residents in Ghaziabad. The group reportedly urged people to prepare for a hypothetical "Bangladesh-like situation," suggesting Hindus were being targeted. Following the circulation of the video, police took action and arrested 10 individuals connected to the outfit, including its national president, Pinky Chaudhary.
The second incident occurred in Varanasi on December 25. A video showed a group of local youths cornering and harassing Japanese tourists at the iconic Dashashwamedh Ghat. The tourists, who were wearing swimsuits and a Santa Claus hat, were reportedly forced to apologize before being let go. Since the tourists did not file a formal police complaint, no legal action was initiated against the harassers, though the video drew widespread condemnation online.
Critique of Police and Government Silence
Connecting these events to a broader breakdown of law and order, Akhilesh Yadav stated that the UP Police has completely lost its control over anti-social elements. He blamed the situation on the "studied silence" maintained by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP government, arguing that this inaction has severely damaged the state's law and order situation.
The Samajwadi Party chief concluded that the administration's failure to decisively address such acts of public intimidation and harassment has allowed an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness to flourish, tarnishing Uttar Pradesh's reputation.
