Farmers' Protest: Akhilesh Yadav detained after he sits on dharna against farm laws

Slamming the government, Akhilesh alleged that the BJP is suppressing the democratic right to dissent

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav was on Monday detained here while trying to take out 'Kisan Yatra' in support of the farmers protesting against the new farm laws.

Akhilesh, who was scheduled to undertake a 'pad yatra' (foot march) from Lucknow to Kannauj in support of the protesting farmers, was not allowed to come out of his residence at Vikramaditya Marg here by a strong posse of policemen and officials.

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The SP president, who sat on a 'dharna' outside his residence in protest against the police action lashed out at the BJP government in the state for not allowing him to undertake the yatra citing coronavirus protocol.

''There appears to be no pandemic for the BJP, which can organise any event... The protocol is applicable only to the programs by the Opposition,'' he told reporters. ''This action reflects the dictatorial mentality of the government... The BJP is suppressing the democratic right to dissent,'' he added.

Later in a post on his Twitter handle, Akhilesh quoted an Urdu couplet to decry the government action. ''Jahan tak jati nazar wahan tak log tere khilaf hain.. julmi hakim tu kis-kis ko nazarband karega'' (people are against you (government) everywhere... how many people will you detain?), the SP president asked in a tweet.

Some senior SP leaders, including party MLAs, were also taken into custody when they were on way to meet Akhilesh, sources here said.

A senior official here said that the Kannauj district administration had not given permission to hold the meeting and therefore Akhilesh was put under house arrest at his residence. The road leading to the SP office here from Akhilesh's residence was also sealed by the police.

Sources said that the police cracked down on the SP leaders in different parts of the state to foil their plan to undertake the yatra. SP workers were detained at several places.