Today, on the occasion of Navami, as well as the birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan, the tempo of politics was at an all-time high. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who considers himself a great devotee of Jay Prakash Narayan, was sitting in Lucknow's Jay Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC), adamant on paying tribute to the Lok Nayak. But, the Lucknow administration was also adamant about not fulfilling Akhilesh Yadav's assertion. Tin sheds were put up at the main entrance of JPNIC at night itself. The next day barricades were put up outside Akhilesh Yadav's house. Samajwadi workers, who were unable to cross it, created a ruckus and finally, Akhilesh Yadav's insistence did not stand in front of the administration's insistence. Akhilesh Yadav completed the program of garlanding Jay Prakash Narayan's statue in the middle of the road.
Why was Akhilesh Yadav so obsessed with paying tribute to Jay Prakash Narayan at JPNIC itself? Why was CM Yogi's administration adamant about stopping Akhilesh Yadav from entering JPNIC at any cost? The answer to this question is hidden in JPNIC itself.
Last year, Akhilesh Yadav fulfilled his wish to pay tribute to Jay Prakash Narayan by jumping over the wall of JPNIC. But this year, the Yogi government installed a tin shed to stop Akhilesh Yadav's entry into JPNIC. When Akhilesh Yadav came to know about this, he reached JPNIC at night and on seeing the tin shed, he understood that this time also his entry into JPNIC would be banned.
It is understandable that Akhilesh Yadav is adamant about visiting JPNIC but it is not comprehensible to stop him. The reason given by Lucknow Development Authority for stopping Akhilesh Yadav is very interesting.
LDA has written a letter stating that JPNIC is an under-construction site, where construction material is spread and there is a possibility of many insects due to rain. Akhilesh Yadav enjoys Z Plus category security and so, due to security reasons it is not safe and appropriate for Akhilesh to visit JPNIC.
Now the reason given by LDA is a bit difficult to believe because the routes of JPNIC were not blocked to protect Akhilesh from insects. Barricades were put outside Akhilesh Yadav's residence. Water cannons were deployed, and force was deployed. So, it is obvious that there is some political ploy behind this.
JPNIC was constructed in the year 2016 by the SP government. JPNIC, built for Rs 864 crores, also has a statue of socialist thinker Jay Prakash Narayan. By the year 2017, 80 percent of its construction work had been completed. But when Yogi Adityanath's government came, its construction work was stopped. Yogi government has ordered an inquiry into the corruption in the construction work of JPNIC.
JPNIC is Akhilesh Yadav's dream project. Till two years ago, Akhilesh Yadav used to organise programs in JPNIC on Jay Prakash Narayan's Jayanti. It seems that the Yogi government does not want JPNIC to become the stronghold of the Samajwadi Party.
Yogi's police tried their best to stop the Samajwadi Party and Samajwadi Party workers also tried their best to reach JPNIC. But when the effort did not seem to be successful, SP workers started protesting against the Yogi government.
In the end, the Yogi government won. When Akhilesh Yadav could not garland Jay Prakash Narayan's statue in JPNIC, he garlanded his statue on a truck outside his residence.
Akhilesh Yadav wanted to take political advantage of paying respects to Jay Prakash Narayan at JPNIC but he was stopped, would that give the Yogi government any political advantage? That is the big question.
