Akhilesh Accuses BJP of Trying to Sell Jai Prakash Narayan Centre

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh of attempting to sell the Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow. He asserted that his party would not permit what he described as an “attack on socialist values” and the legacy of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan.

Addressing reporters after paying tribute to the veteran socialist leader on his birth anniversary, Yadav said the SP government had built the JPNIC as a symbol of the socialist movement and as a space to promote cultural and intellectual exchange. “The BJP government has not only ruined the Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre but has also hidden it from the public. Now, they want to sell it, but the Samajwadi Party will not allow this to happen,” he declared.

The SP observed the birth anniversary of Jai Prakash Narayan across all districts of the state. At the party’s state headquarters in Lucknow, Yadav garlanded the leader’s statue, reiterating that Narayan’s ideals of social justice and equality continue to inspire the party’s work.

“The BJP has consistently shown disregard for the contributions of socialist leaders who fought for democracy and equality. Their focus is on dismantling institutions created for the people,” Yadav said. He accused the government of neglecting heritage projects initiated by the previous SP administration and of attempting to commercialise cultural and public spaces for profit.

Yadav further remarked that the JPNIC was envisioned not just as a museum but as a “living archive” of India’s democratic struggles. “It was built to honour Lok Nayak’s vision and to remind future generations of the importance of people’s movements. By destroying or selling it, the government is erasing that memory,” he added.

Party workers at the event echoed Yadav’s stance, pledging to oppose any move by the state government to alter the status of the centre. They urged the administration to restore the facility and reopen it to the public.

As the political row intensifies, the Uttar Pradesh government has yet to issue any formal clarification on the matter. However, Yadav’s remarks signal that the preservation of socialist landmarks could emerge as a key political issue in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections.