Akhilesh Yadav visits barricaded JP Narayan Centre in Lucknow, jabs BJP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh installed tin sheets before the main gate of Lucknow’s Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) to prevent him from entering the premises. He visited the JPNIC on Thursday night to mark the birth anniversary of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan today.
Akhilesh Yadav questioned whether the BJP government was hiding something by erecting the tin sheets before the JPNIC gate. “This JPNIC is the museum of socialists and has the statue of Jayaprakash Narayan. There are things inside on how we can understand socialism,” he told reporters outside the centre.
“What is the government hiding by erecting these tin sheds? Is it possible that they are getting ready to sell it, or want to give it to someone?” he said.
Asked if he would come to the centre on Friday to pay his tributes to Jayaprakash Narayan, the Samajwadi Party chief said, “We will decide the programme tomorrow (on Friday). For how long will they keep it barred behind tin sheds?”
In a video shared online, Akhilesh Yadav asked a painter to write ‘Samajwadi Party Zindabad’ (Long live Samajwadi Party) on the tin sheets. The party also posted a clip showing some workers erecting tin sheets before the JPNIC gate and accused the BJP of attacking democracy.

‘Samajwadi Party Zindabad’ written on the tin sheets installed on the main gate of JPNIC in Lucknow. (Photo: X/@yadavakhilesh)

“The useless BJP government is constantly attacking democracy. “This anti-people government has insulted great men by ruining development work like JPNIC built in Lucknow. Socialists will not bow down to these dictators!” the party said on X.
It also termed the barricading the gate with tin sheets an instance of “dirty politics” of the BJP.
Later, Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X, derided the BJP’s rule as “ostentatious Amrit Kaal of freedom” and termed the barricading a symbol of the party’s “closed thinking”.
“The BJP holds ill-will and animosity towards every freedom fighter like Jayaprakash Narayan ji, who participated in the freedom struggle of the country. It is the guilt inside the BJP, whose members did not participate in the freedom struggle of the country, which does not allow them to pay tribute to the revolutionaries even on their birth anniversaries. Condemnable!” he tweeted.
Last year, Akhilesh Yadav had to climb over the gate of JPNIC to garland a statue of Jayaprakash Narayan located on the premises.
Amid the barricading row, the Lucknow Development Authority issued a notice on Akhilesh Yadav’s planned visit to JPNIC on Friday on the birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan. The notice stated that JPNIC is a construction site where construction material is spread haphazardly and warned of the possibility of many insects due to rain.
“SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has Z plus category security, due to which it is not safe and appropriate for him to garland the statue and visit JPNIC due to security reasons,” the notice read.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow Police imposed traffic restrictions around the building on Friday. Barricades were installed outside the main gate of JPNIC and police personnel were deployed to prevent anyone from entering the premises.
To deal with possible protests from the Samajwadi Party, a vehicle has been deployed outside the JPNIC to release tear gas shells along with water cannon outside the gate.
A women’s police force has been deployed along with a Rapid Action Force (RAF) contingent. The road leading up to the JPNIC has been closed with barricades.

Police have also installed barricades outside Akhilesh Yadav’s home. Traffic movement on both roads leading to the Samajwadi Party chief’s home have been restricted with barricades.
Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated the JPNIC when he was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Work on the building, however, was stopped after the BJP was voted to power in the state in 2017.
The building, among other structures, houses the Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre, a museum.