A stampede-like situation unfolded on May 21 at an election rally held by Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in Azamgarh district, with over-eager party workers and supporters jostling with each other and climbing over wooden barriers, leading the police to use force to control the situation. Visuals from the scene show torn streamers littering the ground and broken chairs.
Amid the uproar, Mr. Yadav’s appeals to his supporters for calm went in vain. The rally was organised for Daroga Saroj, the SP candidate in Lalganj (Scheduled Caste) reserved Lok Sabha seat. The Lalganj Lok Sabha seat comes under Azamgarh district. It is the third time in a week that Mr. Yadav’s rallies have witnessed disruption. On May 19, a joint rally by Mr. Yadav with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency was cancelled due to a similar crowd situation. Later, addressing the rally in Lalganj, Mr. Yadav claimed that voters are ready to defeat the BJP, accusing the ruling party of neglecting every section of the country.
Failed on all fronts
“Our farmers’ cost of production is increasing, and their debts are increasing too. After June 4, when the government is formed, the debts of our poor farmers will be waived. The BJP government could not provide jobs to our youth, which was their responsibility, and due to examinations getting cancelled because of paper leaks, lakhs of students have been left without opportunities. The BJP is attacking the constitution of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji. They were saying 400 paar (over 400), but this time the public is raising the slogan of 400 haar (defeat in 400 seats),” said the SP leader.
He said, “The BJP government, which has been in power for the last 10 years, has been governing on the basis of loot and lies. They took donations from the vaccine company, and the vaccine was administered forcibly; now the vaccine has become a threat to our lives.”
The SP president accused the BJP of cheating the youth, farmers, and other groups of society. “They have not only cheated farmers but also our youth, women, government employees and other sections of society,” he said.
Mr. Yadav further targeted the BJP for introducing the four-year Agniveer scheme for the armed forces and questioned the frequent paper leaks in U.P. “Papers are constantly leaked on the BJP’s watch. The Agniveer job is for four years, what will a youth do after four years? I assure the youth of our country that when the INDIA government is formed, this system will be scrapped,” he said.
Published - May 21, 2024 10:45 pm IST
