Fri Oct 11 22:22:19 UTC 2024: ## UP BJP Government Blocks Akhilesh Yadav From Paying Tribute to Jayaprakash Narayan
**Lucknow:** The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has once again denied Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav permission to pay tribute to Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary.
On Monday, Yadav was prevented from entering the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre in Lucknow where a statue of the socialist leader is located. The entrance of the centre was barricaded with metal sheets and heavily guarded by police personnel.
Yadav had planned to garland the statue and pay homage to the renowned socialist leader. However, the UP government cited ongoing maintenance work as a reason for denying permission. This, however, comes just a year after Yadav was denied permission to pay his respects at the same location.
The SP leader condemned the government’s decision and accused the BJP of disrespecting the legacy of socialist leaders. He called upon Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who rose to prominence through the JP movement, to abandon his alliance with the BJP.
“The BJP is insulting the memory of all socialists,” stated Yadav, adding that the government’s actions were a blatant attempt to suppress the voice of opposition.
Following the incident, Yadav paid his respects to Jayaprakash Narayan at his residence.
First Piper 