Failure of BJP's governance, says Akhilesh after UP police stops SP team from visiting Sambhal

After the 15-member Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation was stopped from going to Sambhal on Saturday, party chief Akhilesh Yadav lambasted the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, calling the ban a "failure" of its governance and administration.

Heavy police security was deployed outside Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mata Prasad Pandey's house in Lucknow ahead of the 15-member Samajwadi Party delegation's visit to Sambhal.

On the instructions of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, a 15-member delegation was to visit Sambhal on Saturday. Formed under the leadership of Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation's job was to collect detailed information about the incident. A report was to be prepared and submitted to the SP National President.

However, before the leaders could leave Pandey's residence for Sambhal, the security officials stopped them. The leaders then decided to go to the party's office in Lucknow, however, they were not allowed to leave the residence.

Yadav slammed the UP government and said that the "BJP has lost."

Taking to X, the SP chief wrote, "Imposing a ban is a failure of the BJP government's governance, administration and government management. If the government had imposed such a ban earlier on those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled."

"Just like the BJP changes the entire Cabinet at once, similarly, the entire administrative board from top to bottom in Sambhal should be suspended and dismissed for negligence and charged with conspiracy. Strict action should be taken against them, and a case should also be filed against them for murder," he wrote, adding again that the "BJP has lost."

At the same time, the Samajwadi Party wrote on its X handle, "Yogi government scared of SP delegation! At the behest of the government, the police prevented the honourable state President Shyam Lal Pal from leaving the house and placed him under house arrest."

"The BJP government is tearing the Constitution and democracy to shreds. Totally reprehensible!" the post read.

Apart from Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation includes Legislative Council leader Lal Bihari Yadav, state president Shyam Lal Pal and other MLAs, MLCs and other prominent officials.