Akhilesh slams BJP over Kanpur case, says 'party working like a gang'

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday (September 15) took a dig at the BJP, saying it was “not a political party but working like a gang”. He said this while demanding a proper probe into allegations against advocate Akhilesh Dubey in Kanpur.

Akhilesh, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was referring to the case of Dubey, who has been accused of operating an extortion racket by allegedly filing false rape cases against businessmen. A probe by a special investigation team has reportedly identified several police and Kanpur Development Authority officials, with multiple FIRs lodged and arrests taking place.

'BJP not a party, but a gang'

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Lucknow, the SP supremo said, “In Kanpur, such serious cases have come to light involving murders, blackmailing, fake encounters, land deals, and money transactions that if they are properly investigated, the entire government will be exposed.”

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“Even IPS officers are involved, and settlements are happening at the chief minister’s residence and office. This is a new trend, a new way of running the state. If action is taken in all these matters, the entire face of the government will be exposed. Even if only Kanpur cases are properly investigated, it will completely expose the government, showing that the BJP is not a political party but a gang, operating like a gang there.”

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The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been in power in Uttar Pradesh since 2017, when Akhilesh’s term came to an end.

'Party runs UP with pressure tactics'

The SP leader accused the BJP government of running the state with "pressure” tactics rather than by the “Constitution and law” and cited recent cases in Kaushambi and Ghazipur as examples.

Referring to a video he shared on social media, Akhilesh alleged that the family of a man who died in Ghazipur was pressured into “accepting a compromise” after initially demanding justice.

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In the Ghazipur case, the UP government on Sunday (September 14) set up an SIT to probe the death of the man, a BJP worker, who was injured allegedly in a police lathi charge last week.

“From Ghazipur to Ghaziabad, even BJP's own MLAs and ministers are sitting on protests against the police and administration,” Akhilesh said, accusing ruling party leaders of shielding illegal activities, including fake goods rackets.

'Yogi a copycat CM'

Targeting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh called him a “copycat CM”, alleging that he merely imitates Delhi.

“Whatever agenda the BJP government in Delhi sets, he copies it. They have no plan for Uttar Pradesh,” he claimed.

Akhilesh also accused the BJP of spreading hatred and being “enemies of business and trade”.

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Responding to a question on reports of assault on Indian journalists in Nepal, Akhilesh said, “This is not an insult to any individual. It is a failure of foreign policy. The BJP government's foreign policy has completely failed. People are being insulted in other countries.”

(With inputs from agencies)