Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday claimed he was stopped at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad to attend an oath-taking ceremony at Allahabad University.
Yadav issued a statement criticising the “remote control politics of two and a half men”, a veiled reference to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He wrote that “to be stopped from speaking, from asking questions that are on everyone’s lips — to be prevented from engaging with the youth is just another sign of how scared the government is.”
My statement on the negative and undemocratic politics behind my detention at Lucknow Airport. pic.twitter.com/dP7MvdjOcT
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 12, 2019
“The government is afraid of oath ceremony of a student leader and is stopping me at the airport to prevent me from visiting Allahabad,” Yadav had claimed in his tweets.
एक छात्र नेता के शपथ ग्रहण कार्यक्रम से सरकार इतनी डर रही है कि मुझे लखनऊ हवाई-अड्डे पर रोका जा रहा है! pic.twitter.com/eaNrUQX1SX
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 12, 2019
He also posted photographs in his official Twitter handle in which he was seen talking to police officers inside the airport.
He said he had to attend an oath-taking ceremony at Allahabad university.
When asked, Airport Director AK Sharma said, “I have no such information.”
The matter rocked the Uttar Pradesh legislature.
As soon as Samajwadi Party members came to know about their national president being stopped at the airport, they tried to raise the matter during Question Hour in the assembly.
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“The present regime is trying to kill democracy and stop our leader from visiting Allahabad,” SP leader Narendra Verma said.
The members also trooped into the Well of the House due to which Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit adjourned the proceedings for 20 minutes during the Question Hour.
The matter was also raised in the Legislative Council, leading to the adjournment of the House for 25 minutes during the pre-lunch sitting.
(With PTI inputs)