'Cycle is the only option': Akhilesh Yadav takes swipe at PM Modi after fuel price hike

Hours after the prices of petrol and diesel were hiked, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi call to save fuel.

Akhilesh made a post on X saying that the cycle -- the SP's official election symbol -- is the only alternative, seemingly emphasising that his party alone can offer the path of development.

In a post on X, Akhilesh shared an illustration of himself riding a bicycle, with the caption in Hindi, "If one has to move forward, then a bicycle is the only option." His response came after the Centre raised diesel and petrol prices by Rs 3. The hike followed Modi's call to save fuel amid oil supply disruptions linked to the West Asia crisis.

Meanwhile, the UP government is rolling out eco-friendly measures in response to PM's appeal. Many ministers and senior government officials have been commuting either by cycle, e-vehicle, or by public transport.

UP's finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna pedalled to the office from his official residence, while state minister Dinesh Pratap Singh used public transport to reach the office.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also reduced his official convoy size by 50 per cent and is conducting virtual meetings, apart from announcing a two-day work-from-home policy.

In Barabanki, District Magistrate Ishan Pratap Singh walked from his residence to the collectorate office along with Additional District Magistrate Nirankar Singh.

In Varanasi, Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari walked from his residence to the Municipal Corporation office on Thursday.

Municipal Corporation Public Relations Officer Sandeep Srivastava on Wednesday announced a 'No Fuel Day' to be observed every Saturday.

At the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, Director Radha Krishan Dhiman cycled from his residence to the institute to encourage sustainable transportation. The institute also plans to set up bicycle stands across the campus.

Rampur assembly's BJP MLA Akash Saxena has also switched to e-rickshaws for his daily commute.

Saxena told PTI on Friday, "I have purchased three e-rickshaws, with each costing Rs 1.37 lakh." "The battery lasts for almost 9 hours, and they are charged using solar energy. I took this step following Modiji's appeal," Saxena said, adding that he has also cut down his convoy size from seven to eight vehicles to two whenever he leaves Rampur city.

"And, my effort will be to have two e-vehicles in the convoy. Even when I come to Lucknow, I will only use an e-vehicle," Saxena said.

During a rally in Hyderabad, Modi had urged people to return to work from home arrangements and take public transport as fuel conservation measures to save foreign exchange reserves amid the Gulf crisis.

(With PTI inputs)