The official Facebook account of Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, boasting over 8 million followers, was restored on Saturday after a mysterious suspension that sparked a fierce political row. The account, a vital platform for the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister to critique the ruling BJP and rally supporters, went offline around 6 p.m. on Friday, prompting accusations of a deliberate attack on democratic expression. Sources in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) clarified to PTI that the block was enforced by Facebook, not the government, distancing New Delhi from the controversy.

Yadav marked the account’s return with a poignant post honoring socialist icon Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary, quoting, “By ‘Sampoorn Kraanti’ (complete revolution), I mean seeing the most oppressed person in society at the pinnacle of power.” The post signaled business as usual for the SP leader, but party insiders demanded answers. “The main issue is who was behind this suspension?” SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary fumed, labeling it a “clear attempt to block democratic opinion and truth.”

SP leaders wasted no time pointing fingers at the BJP-led government, alleging an “undeclared emergency” to muzzle dissent. SP Lok Sabha MP Rajeev Rai condemned the suspension as “an attack on India’s democratic system,” hinting at ruling party interference and calling it a “sign of cowardice.” Fellow spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand echoed the charge, vowing that the SP would continue exposing the BJP’s “anti-people policies” despite such tactics. The party’s outrage resonated across social media, with supporters amplifying claims of targeted censorship against the third-largest party in India’s Parliament.

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While MeitY’s clarification doused some speculation, the lack of transparency from Facebook fueled lingering suspicions. The platform, a megaphone for Yadav’s critiques of government shortcomings, has been a thorn in the side of the ruling establishment. As the SP gears up for upcoming electoral battles, the incident underscores the high-stakes clash between free speech and political power in India’s digital arena. For now, Yadav’s voice is back online—but the question of who pulled the plug, and why, looms large.

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