Political Clash over Jayaprakash Narayan Centre: Pathak vs. Yadav

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak launched a fierce criticism of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday, targeting his administration's handling of the Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre (JPNIC). Pathak accused Yadav of transforming the centre into a 'den of corruption' during his governance, declaring that Yadav had forfeited any moral standing to speak on matters related to the revered socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan.

Pathak announced that the current administration has reclaimed the JPNIC project from Yadav's oversight, handing it over to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) with the aim of duly completing it for public benefit. In statements to ANI, Pathak emphasized that while Yadav lauds the legacy of socialist leaders, his own political maneuvers, allegiant to capitalism, seriously undermine such values. He asserted that the government intends to complete and dedicate the JPNIC to the public efficiently without the previous malpractices.

Highlighting a broader criticism, Pathak suggested that Yadav's tenure from 2012 to 2017 was characterized by widespread crime and nepotism, which led to the electorate's rejection of the Samajwadi Party in subsequent elections. Responding to such accusations, Yadav decried the handover of JPNIC to the LDA as an affront to socialist ideals, invoking the centre's origins as a beacon for democratic struggle and pledging continued vigilance in protecting its mission.

(With inputs from agencies.)