Detained at Airport in undemocratic manner; BJP is scared of me: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Akhilesh Yadav, former UP Chief Minister and President of Samajwadi Party, claimed that he was stopped from boarding a flight on Tuesday at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad to attend an oath-taking ceremony at Allahabad University.

He tweeted, “The Government is so afraid of the oath ceremony of a student leader that I am being stopped at Lucknow airport.”

I was prevented from boarding the airplane without any written orders. Currently detained at Lucknow airport.

It is clear how frightened the govt is by the oath ceremony of a student leader. The BJP knows that youth of our great country will not tolerate this injustice anymore! pic.twitter.com/xtnpNWtQRd

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 12, 2019

Yadav later posted his statement on his personal Twitter handle regarding “negative and undemocratic politics behind my detention at Lucknow Airport.”

My statement on the negative and undemocratic politics behind my detention at Lucknow Airport. pic.twitter.com/dP7MvdjOcT

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 12, 2019

When asked about the alleged issue, Airport Director A.K. Sharma said, “I have no such information.”

The matter came up at the Uttar Pradesh legislature, with Samajwadi Party members trying to raise the matter during Question Hour in the Assembly.

“The present regime is trying to kill democracy and stop our leader from visiting Allahabad,” SP leader Narendra Verma said.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati came out in support of Yadav and severely criticised BJP’s alleged move. She condemned the ruling party and said the Modi-led government is of “dictatorship and signifies the death of democracy.” She went to say “Is the BJP government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh so afraid of the BSP-SP alliance that it is resorting to anti-democratic methods in order to curb our political activities. This is very unfortunate and this undemocratic step will be fought at all levels.”

Extremely condemnable that Samajwadi Party President and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was stopped at Lucknow airport today in order to prevent him from attending programme in Allahabad. This is anti-democratic and an example of total dictatorship of BJP government.

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) February 12, 2019

The BJP or any of the top leaders are yet to release an official statement.

SP and BSP had announced previously that they have come together to form a grand alliance in UP for the upcoming elections.

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