Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over sealing of Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre

The SP President had earlier accused the BJP of not granting permission to socialists to pay tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary.

Yadav thanked all his Samajwadi Party workers for being prepared for the movement. He stated, "Since last night, all workers were ready for the movement. I congratulate them for coming out on the streets today, despite the BJP's attempts to stop us and keep us confined at home."

Yadav emphasised that today is a festive day, as it is the festival of Navratri celebrated in many households; however, the SP President plans to "continue this struggle in the same manner."

He noted that they celebrated Jay Prakash Jayanti, honouring the socialist leader Jay Prakash Narayan, who contributed to India's independence.

Yadav reflected on the history of the JPNIC,and said, "Every year, we go there to pay tribute to the statue." He pointed out that the socialist government was in power during its inauguration, with many leaders present.

He explained that, "The JPNIC is a world-class structure that houses the modern features of today. It's similar to the India Habitat Centre, where major cultural programs and conferences are held in Delhi. The construction was done by Netaji in Lucknow, and it was completed by the previous socialist government. The JPNIC is the tallest building and has the largest conference hall in the country, with a structure that includes a cantilever. There may not be such a large conference hall anywhere else in the country without pillars. It also has parking for 1,200 cars and 200 rooms, along with various sports facilities. There's an indoor lawn tennis playground and a world-class Olympic-sized swimming pool. Additionally, a helipad has been constructed on the top floor."

"The BJP has not been able to build any structure with a helipad. Socialists have built 22 such buildings in Lucknow that include helipads, allowing helicopters to land during emergencies or other incidents" he added.

Yadav expressed concerns about the current government, calling it "destructive" and alleging that they do not respect democratic values. "These are the people who want to destroy democracy," he said.

He concluded by addressing the ongoing construction delays at the JPNIC. "How long will they keep it on hold? A tin shed can last a day, two days, three days, a week, or even two years; after that, they will have to get worried to save themselves."

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) had earlier refused to grant the SP President permission to visit Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) here on the freedom fighter's birth anniversary.

The LDA said that JPNIC is an active construction site with scattered materials that can be hazardous."Many of the Socialist people are in the government and helping the government to continue. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emerged from his (Jai Prakash Narayan) movement. This is a chance for Nitish Kumar to withdraw support from the government which is not allowing the Socialist to pay tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters. (ANI)