A cover to hide nervousness: Akhilesh hits back after Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says visit could have led to violence

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit back at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over latter's comments that his Allahabad visit could have triggered violence, saying the statement is nothing but "a cover to hide nervousness".

Akhilesh stressed that stopping him from attending a students' union programme in Prayagraj shows how "scared" the government is.

"I was stopped from boarding a flight to Allahabad to attend a students' union programme. I haven't been given a reason why but it seems the general impression was that I would create a law and order problem. Chief minister has given a statement to this effect but they are using this as a cover to hide their nervousness because our youth have had enough," Akhilesh was quoted as saying by PTI.

"If there was a genuine problem, the police there would have objected, or asked for a change in my schedule. I understand the need to ensure the safety of people and property and would never do something to endanger either knowingly," he added.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the BJP has lost Uttar Pradesh, "but more than an election, they have lost the faith that the youth of this country reposed in them".

"Their attack on institutions by filling them with people whose loyalties lie with an organisation that harbours people who celebrate the Mahatmas murderer, is an attack on our democracy. These are people who have taken two oaths (of government and RSS) but are only loyal to one. These are people who have never accepted or celebrated our Constitution," he said.

Earlier, Yogi Adityanath had said that Akhilesh's visit could have led to fighting between rival student groups at the Allahabad University. 

It is interesting to note that Allahabad University had already informed the SP supremo that no politicians were allowed in any of their programmes. On Monday, the Registrar of the Allahabad University had written to Yadav's personal secretary, saying that politicians were not allowed in the university events.

Akhilesh was stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police at Lucknow airport on Tuesday morning while he was heading to Prayagraj to attend a student union function at the university.