Facebook Suspension of Akhilesh Yadav Sparks Accusations Against BJP Government

The Samajwadi Party (SP) accused the BJP-led central government of stifling dissent through an "undeclared emergency" after claiming that party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's official Facebook account was suspended on Friday evening. The account, boasting over 8 million followers, served as a key platform for Yadav to disseminate his political views, critique government policies, and engage with supporters across the state and nation. SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand condemned the move on X, labeling it "an attack on democracy" and vowing the party's unwavering opposition to what he called the BJP's "anti-people policies."

Sources within the SP indicated the suspension occurred around 6 p.m., abruptly halting Yadav's digital outreach at a time when the party is ramping up preparations for upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and national discourse ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. Yadav, who led the SP to a surprise majority in the 2022 UP elections as part of the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance, has increasingly used social media to amplify grassroots issues like unemployment, farmer distress, and alleged law-and-order lapses under the Yogi Adityanath administration. The account's regular posts, often garnering hundreds of thousands of interactions, have positioned it as a vital tool for mobilizing the party's core Yadav-Muslim voter base in western and central UP.

This incident echoes a pattern of social media restrictions targeting opposition figures in India, where platforms like Facebook and X have faced government directives under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, for content moderation. In 2023, Yadav's Twitter (now X) account was temporarily withheld in Uttar Pradesh over a controversial post, prompting similar outcry from the SP.

Meta, Facebook's parent company, has not issued an official statement on the suspension, but SP insiders speculate it could stem from complaints over "communal" or "misinformation" content, a frequent flashpoint in India's polarized digital space. The BJP dismissed the allegations as "drama," with a party spokesperson retorting that legal platforms must adhere to guidelines, not serve as "propaganda tools."

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As the SP navigates this setback, Yadav turned to alternative channels, posting a video message on Instagram criticizing the "digital censorship" as evidence of the BJP's fear of electoral accountability. With Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats pivotal to national politics, the episode underscores escalating tensions between the ruling NDA and opposition INDIA bloc, where social media battles often preview real-world confrontations.

The SP plans to appeal the suspension through Meta's grievance mechanisms while rallying supporters via rallies and local networks, insisting such moves will only galvanize their resolve ahead of key 2025-26 electoral tests.

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