Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of destroying the Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow and plotting to sell it, vowing that his party would fiercely oppose any such move. Speaking on the occasion of socialist icon Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan’s birth anniversary, Yadav led SP workers in paying tributes by garlanding Narayan’s statue at the party’s state headquarters in Lucknow, with similar events held across districts.

Yadav, the former UP chief minister, lambasted the BJP for neglecting the JPNIC, a museum built by the SP government to honor Narayan’s legacy. “The BJP has ruined JPNIC and hidden it from the public. They want to sell it, but socialists have resolved that no matter how much force the BJP uses, we will not let them sell JPNIC. We will make it even better under an SP government,” he told reporters. He emphasized the emotional and political significance of the centre, recalling its foundation-laying ceremony attended by SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, George Fernandes, and other senior leaders.

Highlighting the relevance of Narayan’s “Total Revolution” philosophy, Yadav drew parallels to today’s challenges, citing rising inflation, corruption, and unemployment as evidence of the BJP’s failure. “The same circumstances that compelled Jai Prakash Narayan to rally for the youth and call for total revolution persist today,” he said, urging SP workers to mobilize at the grassroots to raise awareness.

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Yadav noted that JPNIC stands as the only museum dedicated to Narayan in India, making its preservation a matter of national significance. He criticized the BJP’s “dictatorial attitude” for blocking access to the site, questioning how the party could seek votes in Bihar—Narayan’s home state—while undermining his legacy. “We wanted to visit JPNIC and lay wreaths, but the BJP has ruined everything,” he said.

In a separate remark on foreign policy, Yadav briefly addressed the BJP’s engagement with the Taliban, noting ongoing talks between India’s foreign minister and Taliban representatives. As the Bihar elections approach, Yadav’s remarks signal the SP’s intent to leverage Narayan’s legacy to challenge the BJP’s narrative, while positioning the JPNIC as a symbol of socialist resistance against the ruling party’s policies.

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